For supply chain managers, solving problems is part of their job. Those challenges take many forms such as finding reliable contract manufacturers that have not been disrupted by Covid and ensuring the timely handling of product shipments. However, there is one problem that’s overshadowing all others: component shortages. There is a global shortage of electronic components from the humblest passive devices to complex customised silicon.
There’s no easy solution – there simply isn’t enough manufacturing capacity in the world to meet the demand for these devices and although more capacity is being built, it will be months or even years before it comes online. But that doesn’t mean nothing can be done! In fact, we’ve found solutions for more than 80% of the component supply problems brought to us by our customers.
Thanks to our wide experience in the industry and our recent partnership with USI, a global leader in electronic design and manufacturing, we have excellent relationships with and unparalleled access to component suppliers, enabling us to source even hard-to-find components. We even have a dedicated task force of experts working full time to locate supplies of critical devices.
At Asteelflash, we also partner with our customers to devise ways of minimising the future impact of component shortages. The steps needed are often simple, but for some customers they will mean changes to the way they operate.
It is no longer possible, for example, to place last-minute orders and expect prompt deliveries with competitive pricing, so planning ahead is more essential than ever. Likewise, in times of shortage, it’s important to place firm orders, as provisional orders may well go unfulfilled. Companies may also need to reconsider their stocking policies: while just-in-time manufacturing has its attractions, carrying a buffer stock can help to smooth out glitches in the supply chain.
We can help with and advise on every aspect of the component shortage crisis, but that’s by no means all that we have to offer for supply chain managers. Thanks to careful planning and responsive management, our manufacturing facilities have been minimally affected by Covid, which means that on-schedule deliveries are assured for both new and existing orders.
When it comes to the current limitations in shipping capacity, Asteelflash can offer a range of solutions. These include manufacturing close to our customers so that the need for shipping is minimised – in conjunction with USI, Asteelflash now has 27 manufacturing locations in 10 countries – and arranging alternative shipping routes in combination with our many shipping partners when traditional routes are suffering delays and disruption.
Even in ‘normal’ times, supply chain management is no easy task and, with global component shortages, shipping constraints and the impact of Covid, the present times are anything but normal. But it’s now that experience, expertise, capability and dedication make all the difference and those are exactly the qualities that Asteelflash has to offer. So, if you’re looking for a contract electronics manufacturer to help tackle your supply chain headaches, look no further. Discover Asteelflash solutions for EMS, PCBA and contract manufacturing today.