What Triode Does to Secure Supply Chain in Turbulent 2021 Times

Everyone who is working with freight in 2021 knows it has been a totally new territory on every level. Unpredictable, Unprecedented, Unknown.

"If You Fail To Prepare You Are Preparing To Fail," a quote credited to Benjamin Franklin.

This has been a key thought at the forefront of everyone who is a part of every supply chain this year. And Triode is no exception.

In fact, we feel triple responsibility on our shoulders:

1. to us as a company, because our survival depends on our ability to timely supply componentry
2. to our clients, because they’re relying on our ability to supply PCBs to them in a timely manner
3. to the end-user. While we are not facing or delivering to the end-user, we understand that every part we assemble is to be delivered to an end-user waiting for it with anticipation.

Lead times are remaining to get worse as we are entering the second part of 2021 and in some cases are getting up to more than 10x of what typical supply recommends as viable. At this stage, we have to prepare that demand will outstrip supply well into 2022.

We are now witnessing redesigns of products all over the place to meet the availability of componentry.

In light of reality, we strongly recommend that you secure the supply needed as stock availability is changing per hour.

Honestly, if you have not prepared now after that, it is most likely too late.

Fortunately, here at Triode we are well prepared and have not been affected by any shortage so far and feel we are well set for the rest of 2021 well into 2022 because we have adopted a 5-step policy:

1. Working with more than one supplier, so that we always have a backup plan in place
2. Strengthening relationship with our suppliers to ensure there is growing loyalty to us
3. Timely placing long term orders to secure future supply
4. Have a dedicated Supply Manager who keeps in touch with our suppliers on a regular basis.
5. Continuously research the market to identify and secure sources of componentry required for our projects. Because we know that every day someone launches a new product and it can be a component with the same parameters but better performing or smaller or better in some other way and we aim to be the company on the forefront of this knowledge so our clients can benefit from a new innovation.

Despite the doom, it is likewise generously clear that our ANZ industry also continues to flourish. Lots of jobs mothballed in 2020 are currently rising in production as well as we are constantly delighted to be entailed to support the start-ups who continue to locate innovative remedies.

Joey M. Llanes

Electronic Contract Manufacturing Specialist, helping to unleash the power of PCB assembly outsourcing by capitalising on the volume buying power and advances of modern machinery.