The Reading Room – September 2021

TheReadingRoom

By Philip Spagnoli Stoten Founder of SCOOP

As we exit September it is becoming increasingly clear that all isn’t as it should be with the world. Here in Australia COVID-19 case numbers are rising quickly, vaccine rates more slowly, and lockdown is set to continue for at least another month. Elsewhere many countries are living with COVID and the associated hospitalisations and tragic deaths are now becoming the norm. Meanwhile the manufacturing and supply chain world is dealing with yet another major disruption. 

For manufacturers the shortages of components are causing multiple challenges from the simple fact that some products cannot be completed and shipped to rising costs that can’t always be passed on to customers. Problems in the supply chain are manifesting in numerous ways, from container ships queued at ports to 10x increases in transport costs. All in this is challenging revenue, growth and, of course, cash flow.

At SCOOP we love to ask the big questions and try to dig deep with those in the front line to understand the what, why, when and how. Having reached out to numerous executives for comment we published a What’s the SCOOP – Component Shortages Special in EMSNOW with comments from ten of the world’s leading EMS CEOs and another ten movers and shakers in the industry. 

This week I talked to IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac on the same topic who, armed with solid research, told me that the two biggest challenges facing the industry are shortages in the supply chain and shortages in available talent, two issues that are not going to be fixed quickly. For those that haven’t seen the interview I have embedded it below as both video and podcast.

The same topic of shortages also took up some airtime on a panel discussion I was pleased to be invited to participate in last week hosted by the wonderfully charismatic Mike Konrad and with guests from the media, including Mike Buetow, Trevor Galbraith and the ever charming Eric Miscoll. There were plenty of other topics discussed that make this video and podcast well worth a look and listen. Also embedded below.

So, what else is going on in the world of manufacturing and supply chain, I hear you ask?

 

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