INsight

Most hardware startup founders treat manufacturing as a milestone. Something that happens after the prototype works, after the pitch deck is polished, after the funding closes. By the time they start emailing factories, they are already behind. The gap is not ambition or technical capability. The gap is preparation. A

The global economic landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as de-globalization reshapes trade patterns, challenging operational efficiency in the electronic manufacturing services (EMS) sector. With rising tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and a move toward regionalized production, EMS providers like Foxconn, Flex, and Jabil face disrupted supply chains that threaten their

When contract EMS manufacturing outsourcing is not the answer. This study of a medical device RF manufacturer facing rising costs offers insight to enterprise COOs and supply chain operations executives.

The Dutch government’s move to take control over the Chinese investment group Wingtech’s private ownership of Nexperia, a global leader in semiconductor production, is a shot over the bow of the intricate, global electronics supply chain. Here's why.

Electronics manufacturers in the EU can face difficulties in accessing finance, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This can make it difficult for manufacturers to invest in new technology and equipment and can limit their ability to grow and expand their business.

Some manufacturers and suppliers I speak with are seeing as much as 60% of their employee staff out sick as much as 25% of the time, which, in the US, is underscored, perhaps, by the increasing number of workers on disability as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Trends in global economic factors like money supply growth, US dollar strength, and borrowing costs significantly shape dynamics between OEMs and EMS providers, influencing cost structures, demand patterns, and decision-making. Rising federal debt levels amplify these pressures, as increased government borrowing strains economic stability and increases uncertainty impacting contract

The role of marketers and marketing departments in electronics firms is adjacent to supply chain functions. In electronics OEM brand firms this is especially true because marketing interacts closely with functions like sourcing and purchasing in ways that influence OEM brand product development, demand planning, and BOM cost management even

I posted a watered-down version of this post on Linkedin. I want to share it with subscribers because it got a lot of interest there. I had to pick a title to publish this post. I think it fits. I added some additional context here for subscribers. The graph

Industry 4.0 produced disappointing results. System-to-system AI agents are the final frontier for manufacturers to achieve real, large-scale cost reductions and savings.

As Trump tariffs take shape and nations begin erecting trade barriers many manufacturers wanting to access the US market economy are tariff-hopping for competitive supply chain positioning. The US will become the primary creditor nation on the world stage. I also believe this will continue into 2027 while more

Trump tariffs and incentives are shaping North American manufacturing capacity with focus on US domestic production. So far, US markets most likely to be impacted include semiconductors, consumer electronics (including components), automotive electronics, and equipment used in broadband and telecommunications industry. AI is part of Trump's America First

Agentic AI in manufacturing supply chains: Very soon you will see a mad rush by manufacturers to add as much AI as possible. This week I discuss AI vendors and challenges creating and implementing effective, task-specific AI agents.

Chart, graphs and links on inflation, jobs growth, cloud data centers and hyperscalers revenue and growth forecasts, U.S. trading partners, China electronics tariffs, global manufacturing value-add, U.S. jobs growth, Australian export partners and more.

Impact of Trump tariffs on Mexico and Canada, foreign manufacturer tariff-hopping, U.S. state-by-state export partners highlighting strategic relationships across borders and overseas, foreign currencies.

Thumb on the pulse read: Affluent U.S. consumer showing economic strength. Consumer spending reported by American Express up 9% year-over-year. Up 11% for travel and entertainment (T&E). Monetary Matters host Jack Farley on X says, "it's definitely a lot worse for consumers

According to the Peterson Institute on X @PIIE, if Trump imposes 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico you can see below where the largest impacted categories would likely be, including transportation equipment and machinery, as well as electronics, other manufacturing segments. Also included this week is country-of-origin components

Manufacturing services and trends, China trade, ISM figures, payrolls, German economy, tariffs and more.