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AKM Responds to Strata-gee Request for Comment on Damaged Factory

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Last week, I updated the story of the Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) factory fire that destroyed one of the world’s largest fabs producing semiconductors, particularly LSIs (large-scale integrated circuits) for digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) widely used in audio for consumer, pro, and commercial applications. [See post: AKM Fire Update: Co. Makes Progress, Interim Solution Shows Promise] At the time I was working on that report, I reached out to AKM for comment on what I was learning from my sources, but did not receive a reply by the time the story was posted.

This morning, AKM responded to my request…

See what AKM said in a statement to Strata-gee…

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AKM Fire Update: Co. Makes Progress, Interim Solution Shows Promise

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burned out AKM factory
[Click to enlarge] [Photo: nikogorio (Twitter)]

Commits to Deliver New DACs & ADCs in 2022!

In one of the most-read stories ever posted on Strata-gee.com, I reported on a fire in October 2020 at an AKM factory in Japan. AKM is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) used in a variety of products, including digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for the audio industry. In that post, I warned you that this fire threatens to “disrupt the global supply of critical digital ICs.” It was the bright red flag of what was to become a massive supply chain headache that the world continues to struggle with to this day.

UPDATE: What’s happening now after the AKM fire

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Today in Malaysia, Intel CEO Warns Chip Shortage Will Last to 2023

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Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger at press conference in Malaysia with government official

Speaking at a press conference in Malaysia today, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that the global chip shortage will last until 2023. Gelsinger pointed to the fact that demand keeps expanding, even as the industry struggles to bring more production online to fill the demand.

See more on how Intel sees supply chain issues continuing

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Part 2 of Strata-gee Interview with New Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein

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Photo of Dan Feldstein, new CEO of Crestron

Supply Chain, CEO Role, Going Public, a Better Partner

Last week I wrote about my opportunity to attend the inaugural Creston Next Road Trip in Boston in November. One of the most interesting parts of that experience was having the opportunity to interview new Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein. Crestron, one of the biggest players in the custom integration game, was founded by Dan’s father, George Feldstein (who passed away in 2014) and I was interested in learning more about how the new CEO saw the world and his top priorities and opportunities for the company.

In this Part 2 of that interview, we learn how the company is dealing with the industry-bedeviling supply chain issues, why it will never go public, how Dan views the CEO’s role, and how the company seeks to be a better business partner.

See Part 2 of my interview with Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein

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Top Factors to Consider As You Ponder Your 2022 Plans

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By now many of us are deep in our planning for 2022. What factors should you consider as you think about the business conditions you face next year? Will 2022 be more of the same as 2021? Or will trends be more negative…or more positive?

Here are some factors you should consider

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Sputtering Supply Chain Hit Again – Surge of COVID in Vietnam Closes Factories

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COVID surge in Vietnam is causing global supply chain issues

Brands Like Apple, Samsung, Nike & Adidas Have Been Forced to Close

In a new hit to the supply chain, top brands report that they have been forced to close down factories in Vietnam as the country struggles with a COVID resurgence of surprising resiliency. Notable brand names like Samsung, Nike, Adidas, Apple, Coca-Cola have all at one time or another over the last 90-days been forced to close some or all of their factories as employees came down with the illness.

See more on this new supply chain disruption…

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Sonos Delivers Strong Fiscal 2021 Q2 Results Thanks in Part to a Lousy 2020

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Raises Guidance for FY2021; Issues Strongest Warning Yet of Supply Chain Issues

After the close of market on Wednesday, Sonos, Inc. (NASDAQ: SONO) reported their fiscal 2021, second quarter results which were very strong. On Wall Street they like to call that an “earnings surprise” and they really, really like it when it is a positive surprise. Sonos did not disappoint them.

See the Sonos 2nd quarter results

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Disaster Strikes Supply Chain Again – Another Chip Factory Destroyed by Fire

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Photo of fire damage at Renesas Naka factory in Japan

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.

See more on another factory destroyed by fire…

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Samsung Warns Chip Shortage Now Impacting Mobile Phone & Computer Biz

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samsung chip factory in Austin, TX
Samsung’s Austin, TX chip factory remains idle with no announced restart date

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…

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Let the Chips (Supply Chain) Fall Where They May

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An earthquake in Fukushima, Japan will cause further supply chain problems
Boulders dislodged by the quake blocked a road in Soma, a city in the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima, on Sunday morning. Credit…NY Times via Hironori Asakawa/Kyodo News, via Associated Press [Click to enlarge]

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…

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