供应链警钟：制造商常犯的三大错误
发布时间：2024/6/17 来源：奧仕途 
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The global technology industry has encountered an unprecedented crisis. Markets have stagnated, factories have shut down, billions of dollars have been lost, and backlogs of orders will take years to digest. The core factor of this crisis is the shortage of semiconductors. Chip manufacturing is not only time-consuming and costly, but also requires close cooperation and continuous maintenance among multiple industries. However, the sudden outbreak of the new crown epidemic has hit chip supply hard, catching many manufacturers off guard and throwing the global technology industry into chaos. Fortunately, the chip shortage has eased. But for many manufacturers, the alarm bells are still ringing and the fragility of the chip supply chain is still highlighted, prompting them to take active measures to prevent similar crises from happening again. To reduce the possibility of being exposed to risks caused by chip supply disruptions, manufacturers must first deeply analyze the root causes of the problem and avoid repeating the same mistakes. By avoiding potential pitfalls, they can improve their resilience and reliability in crises. The following three mistakes can serve as a warning to everyone: Mistake 1: Sourcing in one region There is no doubt that limiting the procurement channels to a certain region or a single supplier is a high-risk strategy.Although South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China have relatively complete conditions for chip production, in order to ensure the stability and flexibility of the supply chain, manufacturers should give priority to dispersing the main procurement sources in these regions rather than concentrating them in one or two regions. At the same time, given the rapid development of component production around the world and the variability of logistics issues, manufacturers should also begin to consider establishing secondary procurement channels in regions where logistics issues are smaller and component production is increasingly emerging (such as Mexico). Such a layout will not only help reduce potential risks, but also better adapt to market changes and ensure the efficient operation of the supply chain. Error 2: Prioritizing immediate returns In the decision-making process, companies should balance investment allocation between long-term security and short-term profits, but this basic rule is often ignored. In particular, manufacturers who frequently change suppliers and only pursue short-term investment returns ignore this point. The security brought by this strategy is usually short-lived. The most profitable suppliers may not be the most trustworthy, and they may not be able to give customers firm support when the market is down. Therefore, establishing long-term, future-oriented partnerships with suppliers will give manufacturers a significant advantage.To achieve this goal, it is first necessary to select stable suppliers that can withstand market fluctuations, such as a well-established and reputable semiconductor factory in Asia, or a promising manufacturer in Mexico that may provide near-shoring opportunities in the future. Second, it is critical to deepen long-term cooperation with these selected suppliers. It has been proven that companies that have established extensive such partnerships have growth momentum three times the average growth trend of their industry. This long-term commitment will play a huge role in ensuring the robustness and efficiency of the supply chain when market supply tightens. Mistake 3: Ignoring inventory Even with careful preparation, occasional fluctuations in chip supply are difficult to avoid. Logistical constraints in semiconductor production, especially when production is highly concentrated
