Front End | Electronic Components Supply Network
conflict is beginning to create shortages of specialist gases, metals and chemicals needed by world markets has been well reported by the world’s media. In stark contrast, the impact of the recent COVID lockdown in the Chinese ‘megacity’ Shenzhen – a major manufacturing centre with a population of circa thirteen million – seems to have largely passed them by. Shenzhen has been almost totally locked down for a month and the impact of the lockdown on materials and logistics in China is rapidly escalating: Shenzhen is served by three ports of which Yantian International is the most important to the Chinese economy. Yantian is the largest container port in the world, but it currently has a backlog of over sixteen vessel days, despite efforts to re-route shipping to alternative Chinese ports. Among the major problems in Shenzhen, and in other ports in the world during COVID lockdowns, is the almost impossibility of moving containers in and out by road at a time when crane operators, drivers, warehousing etc. are in short supply and when airfreight capacity - the primary alternative option for lighter goods such as electronic components
– is restricted and becoming ever more expensive. This just has to have a knock-on impact for the global electronic components industry as inventories have been run down and a month of output has been effectively ‘lost’. There has been a dearth of reliable data to analyse but I suspect the impact of the city’s draconian lockdowns will be felt throughout the rest of the year. As with all logistics issues however, it’s certain to take a calendar quarter or so before Shenzhen’s shipping systems are back in balance.
Concluding thoughts
I predicted that availability of proprietary semiconductors will ‘normalise’ at 12-to-16 weeks during 2H’22, with availability of commodity semiconductors normalising by the end of the year. Despite the current high levels of geopolitical tension, I still believe that this is possible but please forgive me if I’m a quarter out. My best advice is for organisations to continue to work closely with their trusted, long-term supply partners. These companies have access to the best quality information and as they have a vested interest in your organisation’s success, are highly
motivated to continue to maintain strong supply relationships.
For information
Adam Fletcher is chairman of the Electronic Components Supply Network (ecsn), a business association established in 1970 that today offers support to
all organisations with an interest in electronic components throughout their entire lifecycle. He is also chairman of the International Distribution of Electronics Association (IDEA), an association of individual country electronic components associations whose objective is to arrive at and share best industry practice.
“…Promoti ng Positi ve Collaborati on Throughout the Electronic Components Supply Network to
Benefi t Members and the Economy…”
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Components in Electronics May 2022 11
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