The Chinese government has responded with various measures to contain the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus, including extending the Chinese New Year holidays by one week, to February 10, 2020. This action was taken to prevent mass exposure and further spread of the virus by delaying the travel of hundreds of millions of workers returning home from the holiday.
The Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak is already having an impact on global supply chains.
Chinese New Year always affects the global supply chain for electronics and PCBs, but this is a planned interruption that is prepared for in advance. This year, however, is a special situation due to the following factors:
- Planned closures for Chinese New Year.
- The week-long extension of the holiday.
- Uncertainty about how the virus may continue to spread.
- Uncertainty about what other actions the Chinese government may take.
At this time, it is impossible to say when normal production will resume. We are monitoring the situation closely and taking proactive steps to ensure a smooth supply chain.
Even though we source electronic components from European and American suppliers and distributors, most components are manufactured in China. We are working closely with our suppliers to review lead times and preempt possible shortages. Our suppliers are also monitoring their supply chains and are in direct contact with component manufacturers.
For PCBs, we have a network of partners throughout the world. We have spoken with our key suppliers for PCBs in Europe and have been assured of capacity to produce, though lead times and prices may be higher than normal.
Given this uncertainty, we urge our customers to review their production planning and place new orders as early as possible. We will be monitoring incoming deliveries of components and PCBs and informing you of any delays to our planned production.
Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns.