ESNA spoke with ReSolve, part of Arrow's newly launched reverse logistics group, which also includes Intechra, an IT asset disposition services company and Converge, an independent distributor, to discuss the importance of a reverse supply chain logistics program. 
The aftermath of Japan's earthquake last month has left the electronics supply chain struggling with production stoppages and shipment delays of electronic components and raw materials supply.
Because the DRAM market is highly volatile the current buyer's market could quickly swing into a seller's market during the second half of 2011. Buyers will need to keep an eye on several key issues.
Gartner’s tips for selling ICs to Japanese OEMs
Stamford, Conn. — Selling semiconductors, particularly application-specific standard product (ASSP) and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip solutions, to Japan-based hardware vendors requires a different selling technique, according to Masatsune Yamaji, analyst for Gartner Inc.
Yamaji says understanding the OEM’s hardware design partitioning and its internal chip teams are critical factors to successfully selling these components in Japan. You also need to know the limitations of your distribution strategy. Gartner’s report, “Marketing Essentials: How to Sell Semiconductors in Japan” (G00205716), finds that many non-Japanese semiconductor vendors make routine fundamental errors in their product marketing strategies.
One of Gartner’s recommendations is to have more than just a regional sales strategy. It requires a product marketing organization that enables your company to sell ASIC and ASSP chips differently and selectively in Japan from other regions. As an example, foreign device vendors should know the business customs and the level of sales difficulty by device type in the Japanese market.
Delphi Automotive intros an aluminum cable as an alternative to more expensive copper cabling in automotive applications.