Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/535707
July 2015 • SMT Magazine 63 by Richard Ayes, eDiTor for this issue of SMT Magazine, the i-con- nect007 team opted for a different approach when it came to planning the editorial content of the magazine. our topic is the supply chain seg - ment of the electronics assembly industry, and it is the singular topic this month for all our titles— SMT Magazine, The PCB Magazine, and The PCB Design Magazine. but to really provide relevant discussions and insights on one of the most important aspects of a company's business—the supply chain—we did a survey to find out our readers' top supply chain challenges and goals, as well as what they would like to learn about supply chain management. Top Supply Chain Challenges As expected, some of the most common is- sues were highlighted, including cost, regula- tions, quality, and delivery lead time. interest- ingly, there were other issues that surfaced, such as component obsolescence and industry best practices. but one particular issue highlighted by our survey respondents was the difficulty getting ma - terials or supplies. in particular, they mentioned laminate materials—spe- cifically rogers corp.'s products—that take too long to arrive. We reached out to rogers for their response, which led to an interview. That interview will be published in the july issue of The PCB Magazine. On Supply Chain Management We also asked our readers what they would most like to learn about to help them manage their supply chains effectively and efficiently. While the majority (53.3%) answered lowering their pro - curement cost, close to half of the respondents (40%) are considering automation to help them improve their value chain. other respondents mentioned savings that can be made by choosing the best chemistry, while others said they'd like to see metrics that will help monitor the business health of their suppliers. Supply Chain Goals at the end of the day, suppliers want their is- sues resolved. So when asked about their supply chain goals, most answered reducing cost— transportation and material costs—as well as shorter lead times and availability of compo- nents/materials. Meanwhile, our goal here at i-connect007 is to provide you, our readers, with relevant infor- mation and insights that will help you improve your production processes and achieve your manufacturing and business goals. our july issue of SMT Magazine is a testament. given the chal- lenges and issues above, we are pleased to pres- ent different viewpoints, strategies, and tech- niques that will help you take your supply chain management to a higher level. I-Connect007 Survey Finds Lowering Cost, Automation among Key Supply Chain Concerns