Archive for shortage components
On the Hot Seat – Component Shortage Buyers
Posted by: | CommentsCan you feel it coming on? Remember the last time we rebounded from a down-turn in the electronics industry. All of a sudden, companies around the world had desperate needs for all sorts of components and nowhere to turn. Well, with OEM Executives’ ongoing caution of the recovery and still unsure of its customers’ demands, material orders appear to be below the aggregate demand needed. With recent capacity reduction implemented in key component areas limiting the ability of some suppliers to respond to the modest increase in demand, any incremental increase in demand may result in significant supply issues.
And, as reported in CCS, some component delivery times will greatly exceed previous levels. The components expected to be most impacted are: CMOS Logic, FLASH-Memories, Interface ICs, Suppressor Diodes, Al Electrolytic Capacitors-SMD, Ceramic Capacitors-SMD, Film Capacitors-EMI suppressed, Resistors-NLR, Tantalum Capacitors-wired, Film Capacitors-wired, and Switches- (Toggle / Slide)
We all know that being an electronic component buyer is difficult enough. But, when it comes down to solving shortage issues, it appears as if the world just became a tougher place and looks to remain that way for quite some time. While component shortages represent a very small portion of a company’s overall component budget, it tends to consume a significantly large portion of a buyer’s time. According to COMPONENTSResearch, solving shortage needs may take up to 40% of a buyer’s time.
With the present and looming shortages that many are surely going to face in the near future, now is the time to establish relationships with companies that have both the history and the capability of solving your shortage issues. While you may not need their services today, when the time comes that you must have those missing components on your dock immediately, it’s great to know that you have prepared for that eventuality.
How to Avoid Component Shortage Nightmares
Posted by: | CommentsShortages happen, and there’s nothing more stressful than tracking down the right component with a gun to your head. You need it now. You need it to be right – not a fake, a refurb, or something that’s ‘almost’ right. And you need to know you’re not paying way too much because the supplier or broker knows you need it now.
The key to avoiding the pitfalls of component shortage nightmares is to do your homework before the shortage hits the fan.
Start by researching your suppliers to find out who you can trust and who can deliver – not just for routine purchases, but in shortage situations. Knowing who has been reliable in the past can give you a go-to list for future shortages.
Next, do some research on the secondary market to speed up your search when components get scarce. Often, a shortage means a frantic website search which reveals plenty of people advertising the part you need. But most want you to call for pricing and availability. They may tell you it’s in another time zone, or in an overseas warehouse, while they buy time to track it down. Before you know it, you’ve lost a day or more and still don’t have full and accurate information. You can call on brokers to find the part, hoping to get it faster. But the more desperate you are, the more likely the broker will open with a high price and negotiate up from there.
Finally, make sure you – and the suppliers you’re researching – know all the angles, from alternate parts options and packaging requirements to customs fees and regulations. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve solved a shortage problem only to find out that the shipment has been held up at port.
With today’s tight requirement windows and high-speed global supply chains, it’s important to prepare ahead. Finding out NOW who you can trust to locate the part you need quickly and accurately, then follow through from warehouse to delivery, can take a whole lot of stress out of your shortage situations.
