Semiconductor shortages are set to continue.
The challenges facing audio businesses in 2021 are considerable. The lockdowns due to COVID have created huge demands for those companies making audio gear for the home and virtual conference products, whereas those involved in live performance have seen much lower demand. On top of that the fire at AKM has had an impact on the entire audio industry, as companies rapidly design in other parts.
The semiconductor shortages have hit the headlines recently as several car plants, including Audi, Honda and Jaguar/Land Rover, have suffered temporary shutdowns due to the lack of components. We know that the shortages extend back to raw silicon wafers, lead frames and packaging capacity. The semiconductor industry is notorious for boom and bust cycles but they rarely affect the audio components market quite so significantly.
Lead times now are typically 22 weeks, and some of our partners have requested orders for the whole year ahead as production is at full capacity. Profusion regularly places stock orders but currently this shortens lead times by just a few weeks. To help mitigate the delivery problems it is important to get your orders in early, ideally 6-12 months in advance, especially if they are critical to your business.
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