@Risk

The semiconductor industry heard some welcome news last week.

Despite a challenging global economy and natural disasters that impacted production in Asia, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said it expects continued growth in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

More specifically, the SAI endorsed the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization’s Autumn 2011 global semiconductor sales forecast which has projected semiconductor sales to grow to $302 Billion for 2011. If that forecast holds, it will be the first time semiconductor sales have reached the $300 Billion mark and will represent a 1.3 percent growth rate over the record-breaking year in 2010.

WSTS tabulates its annual forecast by convening an extensive group of global semiconductor companies that provide accurate and timely indicators of semiconductor trends.

Beyond 2011, the WSTS expects steady, modest growth: a 3.7 percent increase for 2012, and 5.8 percent increase for 2013. (more…)

The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 is set to go into effect January 1, 2012.

Are you ready?

The new law, which will impose disclosure obligations on all retailers and manufacturers that do business in California and have annual gross receipts that exceed $100,000,000, is designed to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from its direct supply chain for tangible goods offered for sale.

As explained in detail here, the legislation will require these retailers and manufacturers to disclose how they: (more…)

Despite the economic roller coaster of the past few years –or perhaps because of it –Americans continue to value a strong manufacturing sector.

The third annual Public Viewpoint on Manufacturing survey, recently released by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, found once again that the vast majority of those polled consider America’s manufacturing base “important” or “very important” to their standard of living.

The research, which included a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans in August across all 50 states, indicates a consistently high regard for manufacturing, both in terms of its role in the US economy and our global standing, as well as in terms of its importance in job creation. Among the survey highlights: (more…)

Many of the digital and “green” technologies that we now take for granted contain certain metals which previously have been of little interest. Consequently, production of these rare earth elements (REEs) is concentrated in a small handful of countries, leaving the global supply at considerable risk.

Just how high is the risk?

A new assessment from the British Geological Survey (BSG) gives us some insight.

BSG’s new ‘Risk List’ ranks the risk to global supply of 52 chemical elements of economic value.  BSG estimated supply risk using the abundance, production and reserves of the element and governance factors for the producing countries and found that: (more…)

Economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector was up again in August, marking the 21^st consecutive month of increases.

The Non-Manufacturing ISM Report On Business, issued this week by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), showed that:

• The Non-Manufacturing Index registered 53.3 percent in August, 0.6 percentage point higher than the 52.7 percent registered in July, and indicating continued growth at a slightly faster rate in the non-manufacturing sector. (A reading above 50 percent indicates the non-manufacturing sector economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates the non-manufacturing sector is generally contracting.)
• The Non-Manufacturing Business Activity Index decreased 0.5 percentage point to 55.6 percent, reflecting growth for the 25th consecutive month, but at a slower rate than in July.
• The New Orders Index increased by 1.1 percentage points to 52.8 percent.
• The Employment Index decreased 0.9 percentage point to 51.6 percent, indicating growth in employment for the 12th consecutive month, but at a slower rate than in July.
• The Prices Index increased 7.6 percentage points to 64.2 percent, indicating that prices increased at a faster rate in August when compared to July.

According to the NMI, 10 non-manufacturing industries reported growth in August. The list (in order) : (more…)