Editor’s note on Special Project U.S.-China Trade War Damages Done: A permanent trade war with China has already thrust the supply chain in a mad scramble. Procurement costs have increased; partnerships have been severed; and companies have been forced to relocate manufacturing. Still, some companies see the conflict as a path toward differentiation President Trump’s…
The Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) has reported that global sales of capacitors, inductors, resistors and other passive components increased by 25.2 percent in calendar 2018. Unit shipments of these devices grew by 16.7 percent to 7.4 trillion. Last year was marked by severe shortages in passive components, particularly certain types of capacitors. Demand is…
U.S. manufacturers may be facing a bumpy ride in Q1 as the nation’s factory activity cooled in February. New orders, production and employment all declined from January levels, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), and the PMI dropped 2.4 percentage points to 54.2 percent. As long as the PMI remains above 50, the manufacturing industry continues to expand. “We are still in the…
As we head into the new year, EPSNews looks back at the top 10 stories of 2018. For the second year in a row, the most popular topic were the shortages in the electronic components industry. It’s not surprising that four out of the top five articles focused on shortages thanks to a wide range…
The National Geographic channel’s “Mars” series has entered its second season and has inspired AspenCore’s Special Projects team to delve into the future of space exploration. Our “Road to Mars” report covers the designs, technologies and imagination that drive space research, and the electronics and sourcing infrastructure that support aerospace hardware development. The world’s fascination with Mars continues to fuel space…
Rutronik Inc., a leading global broad-line stocking distributor of a comprehensive range of electronic components, semiconductors, and products and technology solutions for IoT and embedded systems, and Yageo Corporation, a global manufacturer of passive components, have entered into a long-term agreement regarding the supply of ceramic capacitors and resistors. As a result, Rutronik has secured…
Even amid continuing strong demand, the electronics industry is struggling with tariffs and the price and availability of components, according to the Institute for Supply Management. One OEM described a supply chain in disarray on the ISM’s monthly survey. “The market is in a state of chaos with the latest round of tariffs,” a computer and…
U.S. manufacturing activity accelerated in June—but so did anxieties around electronic component shortages and tariffs. The Institution for Supply Management’s leading production index, the PMI, increased by 1.5 percent in June to 60.2. However, electronic component constraints are being felt across multiple manufacturing sectors. “Electronic component supply issues continue to disrupt production,” a transportation industry…
U.S. manufacturers that rely on access to electronic components are on the brink of not being able to fulfill their customers’ orders. But manufacturing is still humming: The Institute for Supply Management’s leading factory index, the PMI, increased by 1.4 percent in May to 58.7. However, comments from the computer and electronics sector indicate OEMs…
Electronics component shortages are now so severe that some OEMs believe their growth for 2018 could be stymied if they are unable to get parts. “We have not missed deliveries yet, but we are on the edge,” said George Whittier, COO at manufacturing and engineering services provider The Morey Corp. “Shutting down one of our…