Once again, disaster strikes at the heart of the supply chain as reports are only now emerging about another factory destroyed in a major fire on March 19th that forced yet another semiconductor (chip) fabrication plant (fab) off-line. The fire took out the first floor of the Renesas Electronics factory in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan – just north of Tokyo, according to a report by the Nikkei.
Asian Connection
Samsung Warns Chip Shortage Now Impacting Mobile Phone & Computer Biz
Supply Chain Problems are Expanding into More Products
More evidence is emerging of the possibility of an economically significant impact from a stressed supply chain that has hit the global supply of integrated circuits (chips) hard. First felt in the automotive segment, now Samsung is warning that the global chip shortage is impacting smartphones and personal computers.
See more on the Samsung warning…
[Read more…] about Samsung Warns Chip Shortage Now Impacting Mobile Phone & Computer BizLet the Chips (Supply Chain) Fall Where They May
Earthquakes & Snowstorms Hit an Already Stressed Supply Chain
Since Strata-gee began tracking the story of our stressed-to-the-brink supply chain last year, the situation has only become more dire. Not only has the pandemic caused a once-in-a-hundred-years impact on the supply chain, but adding to that whipsaw from the collapse of demand to then off-the-charts demand, we can now add fires, earthquakes, and snowstorms to the mix.
It all adds up to a concerning level of stress to our supply chain that will impact product availability in multiple product segments, including residential and commercial technology.
Mother Nature mauls the supply chain…
[Read more…] about Let the Chips (Supply Chain) Fall Where They MaySony’s Strategic Shift From Hardware to Services Pays Off; It Now Projects Record Profits
Like the hero in their anime movie Demon Slayer, Sony has blown away investors with their latest (and probably last) revision to their fiscal year net profit estimate. Announced on Wednesday, the company now says that it forecasts that it will set a new all-time record net profit for the fiscal year that ends in March. The major reason? A shift in focus away from hardware to services and content revenues and profits.
See more on this latest report from Sony…
[Read more…] about Sony’s Strategic Shift From Hardware to Services Pays Off; It Now Projects Record ProfitsLG Wins an Emmy for OLED TV
LG Electronics announced this week that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has awarded it an Emmy for its OLED TV at the 72nd Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards event. The award is said to recognize LG’s “continuing innovations to enhance and evolve the televisions to meet reference studio specifications.”
See more on LG’s OLED Emmy win…
[Read more…] about LG Wins an Emmy for OLED TVJudge Sends Samsung CEO Back to Prison for 2½ Years
Who Will Run the Company with Lee Incarcerated?
On Monday, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong – also known as JY Lee, J. Y. Lee or Jay Y. Lee – was sentenced to 2½ years in prison for his role in a bribery and embezzlement scheme to influence the President of South Korea in order to increase his share and power in the company. This development is big news in Korea. Samsung Electronics, part of the Samsung family of companies that is the largest conglomerate in South Korea, by itself represents almost 20% of the entire value of all exports from Korea.
See this sensational Samsung…ah…stuff!
[Read more…] about Judge Sends Samsung CEO Back to Prison for 2½ YearsCES 2021: Sony Evolves From Hardware Maker to Experience Creator
“Please join us in looking forward as we continue to evolve as a ‘creative entertainment company,'” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony Chairman, CEO and President to kick off Sony’s presentation to the media on CES 2021’s press day this past Monday. It was a carefully crafted opening, with words of particular significance that contrasts strongly with previous company characterizations. Sony is changing.
Has the train jumped the tracks? Or has Sony hit the hyper-drive taking us to a new and exciting unexplored planet?
See more from Sony’s press presentation…
[Read more…] about CES 2021: Sony Evolves From Hardware Maker to Experience CreatorAKM Fire Update: Sony Admits It Faces ‘Severe Shortage’ of Key Imaging Models
Most manufacturers in Tech have been reluctant to discuss the impact on the supply chain – and on the availability of their key models – as a result of the recent Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) factory fire in Japan. However, Sony – especially Sony Europe – has admitted to customers that it’s camera and video division, is “facing a severe shortage of key parts” for its compact cameras and video cameras. Although Sony did not specifically correlate their problem to the AKM situation, a large number of camera and photography media are saying that this is most likely the cause of the shortage to which Sony is referring.
See what Sony & other brands say about the AKM fire fallout…
[Read more…] about AKM Fire Update: Sony Admits It Faces ‘Severe Shortage’ of Key Imaging ModelsSony to Close Major Malaysia Audio Factory; Begins Refocus Away from A/V
Closing a Separate Audio & TV Factory in Brazil as Well
Sony Corporation has two large factories in Malaysia – one manufacturing audio products, and the other manufacturing predominantly video products. A new report out of Japan indicates that the company plans to close its audio factory in Malaysia by no later than the beginning of 2022 – or in other words, during the upcoming year of 2021. This move is likely a result of a previously announced strategic refocusing on businesses other than a/v electronics at the major consumer electronics manufacturer.
See more on this expected/shocking move by Sony…
[Read more…] about Sony to Close Major Malaysia Audio Factory; Begins Refocus Away from A/VEVA Automation Escapes Forced Bankruptcy; But Shuts Down Anyway
EVA Admits ‘Financial Distress’ & A Business ‘Wind Down’
EVA Automation, the now former owner of Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) dodged a bullet when late last month U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel, entered an order dismissing the involuntary petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy brought against them by Top Victory Investments Limited (whose attorneys use the acronym TPV). With that decision, a forced bankruptcy was avoided. However, as court records clearly demonstrate, the company did feel some pain as a result of this filing, and according to their attorneys were in the process of conducting an orderly shut down of the business.
Not only that, but we learn much more about EVA Automation‘s relationship with Bowers & Wilkins – and their degraded circumstances based largely on the failure of their Formation wireless speaker line marketed under the B&W brand.