The Soft Pitch

No doubt the disaster in Japan has the potential to throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the electronics supply chain.  Clearly this is a situation where getting accurate and timely information rules the day in helping individuals and businesses make critical decisions.  

Because we realize the important role of information, Avnet took immediate steps to launch a website that is continuously updated with reports from suppliers with facilities in Japan. Recent updates include:

• A  letter to customers from Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas President Ed Smith where he shares some of the steps already taken.
• A statement from US Customs outlining the processes they are following to ensure “cargo and travelers arriving from Japan will contain little to no radiological contamination – well below harmful levels, if any.”
• Shipping and safety procedures put in place by FedEx  and UPS  in the effected region of Japan.

In addition to the overwhelming personal toll in Japan, some key businesses in the supply chain have been forced to shut down or curtail production. Others, of course, have been minimally affected if at all. Reports from analysts and in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters and others reflects just how closely the situation is being monitored. Knowing what’s happening and where is critical. But because the supply chain is just that – a chain of businesses interlocked so closely that we all need each other – it’s reassuring to see how quickly individuals and businesses have responded to provide information, alternatives and solutions to keep manufacturing flowing and businesses producing.

Our goal is to ensure customers keep their manufacturing lines up and running. Our hearts go out to the people of Japan as we work together to keep the supply chain producing.

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