Procurement Pro has released its July/August issue, delivering an in-depth look at the pressures reshaping electronics sourcing and supply chains as the industry navigates memory shortages, geopolitical risk, and surging distributor revenues.
The issue opens with a comment from the Managing Editor, Paige Hookway, reflecting on the mood at the EDS Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, offering readers a first-hand take on where the industry currently stands.
Among the issue’s headline features is a deep dive into ‘RAMageddon’ – a term once confined to engineering circles to describe memory system overload, now adopted by industry commentators to capture the severe supply constraints on memory components driven by unprecedented demand from hyperscale computing.
Risk management is a recurring thread throughout the issue. One feature examines the growing gap between cycle time and lead time in electronics supply chains, a gap widened by demand volatility, backlog, and logistics pressure that is fast becoming a major source of risk. A companion piece explores practical strategies for navigating today’s volatile geopolitical climate, where shocks can stem from regional conflicts, natural disasters, trade policy shifts, technological change, or market swings.
The issue also turns its attention to distribution performance, reporting on strong year-on-year revenue growth at Avnet and Arrow Electronics, amongst others, and asking whether the distribution sector is thriving amid the turbulence.
A significant portion of the issue is dedicated to aerospace and defence sourcing. Four experts from independent distributor Smith discuss how A&D companies can protect themselves against evolving security threats, while a further feature unpacks what defence buyers need to know about sourcing components for weapons systems, communications platforms, and drones – applications where documentation and accountability are non-negotiable. Rounding out this theme, a feature on supply chain security explores how cybersecurity concerns have moved decisively into the hardware supply chain, with particular significance for suppliers of passive components such as capacitors, resistors, filters, and quartz devices.
This issue’s Hotspot column shifts focus to China, examining the fallout from the ‘Hanxin chip’ scandal against the backdrop of US concerns over advanced semiconductor exports.
Elsewhere, readers can find a site visit feature on RS Group‘s UK distribution headquarters in Corby, Northamptonshire, exploring how the site’s logistics operations bring together precision, people, and community. Rochester Electronics contributes an article on proactive obsolescence management strategies, while the Supplier Spotlight introduces ADIOS, a new supply chain route launched by Anglia Components in 2025 in response to semiconductor manufacturers moving toward more restrictive direct sales models.
The Products section rounds up the latest passive component releases from Rutronik, Toshiba, SiTime, and Littelfuse, while a closing market analysis feature considers how quantum computing has entered its ‘show-me phase’, with organisations increasingly demanding proof over promise before committing further investment.
The July/August issue of Procurement Pro is available now:
ProcurementPro Magazine: Issue 14
