10 Global Supply Chain Predictions for 2019

The electronics supply chain, for the past year, has been marked by component shortages, lead-time extensions and tariff uncertainties. Nevertheless, it's been a good year for component manufacturers and distributors--many of which have reported record quarterly sales during 2018. In 2019, IDC projects, the supply chain writ large is poised to transition from a cost center to an "opportunity center" as digital transformation accelerates. "If you go back--and I've been in the supply chain for a long time--one of the shifts I have seen in recent years is the supply chain is no longer about the lowest cost," said Simon Ellis, IDC program vice president for global Supply Chain Strategies. "The challenge has been'How do I do what I do as inexpensively as possible?' Now we have moved into the digital era where [the supply chain's task] is to deliver to customers' expectations. That's where we see opportunity."