EMS@C-LEVEL Season #2021 Episode #3 with Dennis Menefee, President and CEO of Partstat

EMS@C-LEVEL · 9 Aug 2021 · 21m · Episode 3

What this episode covers

Dennis Menefee, President and CEO of Partstat, explains how his company helps manufacturers manage semiconductor supply chain disruptions by purchasing and storing inventory on their behalf. He details Partstat's unique business model, which includes a specialized semiconductor vault in Florida and a big data platform monitoring millions of components from suppliers like Arrow and Avnet. Menefee discusses the 'perfect storm' of the 2020 chip shortage, caused by automotive industry order cuts, geopolitical tensions, and shipping constraints, and how his solution allows clients to preserve working capital while securing long-term supply.

Mentioned

Companies
Partstat, Arrow, Avnet, Digi Key, Intel, Analog Devices, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, GM
Tools
Zoom, MS Teams

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 03m

    360: Cats Love It!

    Ben Hest of Digi-Key discusses the company's massive warehouse operations, logistics, and the current semiconductor shortage. He explains how Digi-Key manages inventory for both hobbyists and large enterprises, the challenges of part allocation, and the transition from physical catalogs to digital tools like the BOM Manager and TechForum. Hest also highlights new components like the Raspberry Pi Pico and Parallax Propeller 2, and offers advice on navigating supply chain constraints.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 13m

    Chip Shortage Denier

    Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics returns from paternity leave to discuss the severe semiconductor supply chain crisis with host Dave Jones. They analyze how major companies like General Motors and Apple misjudged demand during the pandemic, leading to canceled orders and a subsequent shortage that persists due to long lead times for fab equipment and raw materials. Gammell details his personal struggles with component unavailability, forcing him to redesign circuits, swap microcontrollers, and shrink firmware to fit smaller, available parts, while Jones highlights the legal implications of force majeure notices from distributors like Bryman.

  • EE Times Current · 21m

    Contract Manufacturing: Takin’ Care of Business

    Derek Kane, vice president of KMC Systems, discusses the strategic opening of a new innovation center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to support the medical electronics and life sciences industries. He explains how KMC’s 'campus-based' supply chain model and early supplier involvement helped mitigate semiconductor shortages and lead time issues during the pandemic. The conversation also covers KMC’s long product lifecycles, predictive maintenance capabilities derived from its defense background, and the integration of adjacent technologies from parent company Elbit Systems.

  • IoT For All Podcast · 18m

    Navigating the Semiconductor Space for IoT | Rand Technology's Jennifer Strawn | Internet of Things Podcast

    Jennifer Strawn, Executive Vice President of Sales and Sourcing at Rand Technology, discusses the complex state of the semiconductor industry and its impact on IoT adoption. She explains how the shift from acute shortages to a surplus of inventory has created new challenges for manufacturers, particularly in automotive and consumer electronics. Strawn highlights the rising demand for GPUs due to AI and the potential for future memory constraints, while advising companies to mitigate risk through design flexibility and diverse supply chain partners.

  • Moore's Lobby · 59m

    Ep. 35 | The Impact of Chip Shortages on the Electronics Industry

    Dave Doherty of Digi-Key, Steve Sanghi of Microchip Technology, and Michael Knight of TTI discuss the global chip shortage, citing constraints in semiconductors, passives, and raw materials like resins and metals. The panel attributes the crisis to a 'perfect storm' of pandemic shutdowns, climate events, and labor shortages, noting that automotive production has dropped significantly due to missing microcontrollers. They predict lead times will remain extended for at least a year and emphasize the need for distributors to act as supply chain insurance through higher inventory levels.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by EMS@C-LEVEL. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.