Jon Barrett
Editor of Electronics Sourcing UK, North America and Europe
During his publishing career, Jon has continued to develop his mechanical, electronic and software skills ranging from recent qualifications in precision welding to the development of hosted business software.
Plug-and-play comes of age
Thanks to a unique set of circumstances, there is a single day when I judge the accomplishments of the electronics industry over the previous year: Christmas day. On that day, as if by magic, electronic products appear on the living room floor. The time frame to enable them is immediate. The userbase comprises demanding children. Finally, any form of meaningful technical support is non-existent. This year the challenge was an app-controlled toy and this is…
Press go for growth
I always look forward to the December issue of Electronics Sourcing. It’s an opportunity to ask a wide range of manufacturers and distributors for their experience over the past 12-months and their expectations for the coming year. Every year, for the last decade, these Forecast features have typically delivered a diversity of views. Some contributors are bullish, others are bearish. Some see growth in one industry, others in a different sector. Not this year. This…
Think, make or serve
It’s been an interesting 55-years. Like many children of the ‘60s, I was born into a manufacturing economy. As the years ticked by this was subsequently swept away by the knowledge economy, which was looked upon as higher value, cleaner and more environmentally sound. Just as I got to grips with that concept, it too was pushed aside by the service economy, which itself spawned its little brother: the gig economy. Then along comes Covid-19…
John Denslinger
Editorial contributor to Electronics Sourcing
John Denslinger is a former executive VP Murata, president SyChip Wireless, and president/CEO ECIA, the industry’s trade association. His career has spannned up to 40 raw years in electronics.
Unsnarling America’s supply lines
In this article, John Denslinger investigates the scope of work required to unsnarl America’s supply lines, covering causal, flow and macro-economic factors. After years of stellar operational performance applying lean manufacturing and efficient JIT techniques, America’s supply lines have broken down. This isn’t to say lean and JIT are the cause, but rather highlight the need to stretch the scope of work if we are to unsnarl America’s supply lines in short order. The movement…
Additive manufacturing: a sourcing solution
This month John Denslinger looks at the growing influence of 3D printed components in the manufacturing supply chain. Across the industrial spectrum, sourcing 3D printed components is on an upward trend. Once relegated to single-use jigs, fixtures and the occasional prototype builds, it’s now a viable sourcing option for end-use functionality. From the beginning, the pandemic created troublesome gaps in supply lines. That same unpredictability continues today as a Delta variant rages on in many…
Semiconductors, reshoring and Fed policy
John Denslinger investigates reshoring for self-sufficiency as a national competitive advantage. A merica was once the hub for semiconductor manufacturing but that leadership shifted to Asia at the turn of the century as many domestic companies embraced the fabless model. Today the Asia Pacific Big 4 (a term coined by Deloitte) consisting of South Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan dominate semiconductor manufacturing. In fact, by 2019 South Korea and Taiwan alone held a commanding 81…
James Carbone
Editorial contributor to Electronics Sourcing
A veteran journalist, James was a writer and editor for Electronics and Purchasing magazines for 21 years. He covered electronics distribution, semiconductors, passives and connectors for the magazines.
Semiconductor shortages in automotive will ease in 2022
Chipmakers are adding production capacity and demand is expected to weaken which will lead to improved supply conditions for semiconductor purchasers. Electronics purchasers in the auto industry can expect shortages of microcontrollers, MOSFETs and a range of other chips used in automotive systems to continue until the second half of next year and maybe longer. While integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and foundries are adding semiconductor production capacity, much but not all of the investment is…
Distributors expand warehouse facilities, enhance web capabilities
Electronics distributors are enlarging distribution facilities or building new ones to attract new customers and better serve existing ones. Many electronics distributors are adding warehouse space, investing in automation equipment and enhancing their website capabilities to make it easier for buyers and engineers to find and purchase components. While there are allocations or long lead times for a wide range of semiconductors, passives and connectors, distributors say shortages won’t last forever. The extra warehouse capacity…
NAND flash memory market soars as demand rises
NAND flash revenue will break an all-time record this year. Despite an expected 1 per cent decline in average selling prices, the global NAND flash memory market will post strong sales growth and NAND revenue will grow 22 per cent to $67.1 billion in 2021 as unit shipments increase 23 per cent, according to researcher IC Insights. In 2020, unit shipments increased only 4 per cent but sales soared 25 per cent to $55.1 billion…
Amy Leary
Marketing Manager of eBOM.com
Amy Leary has been working within the electronics industry for over three years. Along with Marketing, Amy also produces unique editorials connected to the industry which have been published in widely recognised publications globally.
The Impact Chinese New Year 2021 Will Have on The Electronics Industry
Chinese New Year usually falls somewhere between the end of January and the middle of February. Next year in 2021, it is set to commence on 12th February and will be the year of the Ox. Chinese New Year is a time for celebration and is known to cause the largest human migration in the world, resulting in many employees taking time off work to be with family and friends. The holiday period often causes…
Let’s Get the Industry Moving Again
This year has seen one of the worst financial crises since 1929, the Wall Street Crash. The economy has seen a rough start to 2020, with thanks to COVID-19 causing mass disruption for manufacturers globally and over 437,000 deaths within seven months. Same as all major industries, the electronics sector has been substantially affected by the virus in all divisions including events, manufacturing, supply chain and staffing. With COVID-19 grinding spending and production to halt,…
Did You Stockpile Because Of BREXIT?
For those who may not be aware, the United Kingdom held a referendum vote on its relationship to the EU back in 2016. With virtual guarantees that the United Kingdom would remain in the EU – it came as a shock that by a slim margin, more of the public had voted ‘leave’ by a majority of 52% to 48%. The impact of the surprise vote caused lots of uncertainty with UK citizens and has…