Normalization of shortage and shutdown of industrial control products: 4 practical problems that factory procurement must face

In recent years, the shortage and shutdown of industrial control products is no longer an accident, but a structural problem that the global manufacturing industry must face for a long time. Whether it is PLC, frequency converter, industrial computer or sensor, the original stable supply of models, began to frequently appear extended delivery, stop receiving orders and even formal EOL(End of Life). For factory and terminal procurement, this is not just a price issue, but a key factor that directly affects the operation and delivery risk of the production line.

The following four realistic situations are becoming the decision-making problems faced by more and more factories every day.

1. out-of-stock is no longer a short-term problem, but the new normal

Many purchases still expect "to resume supply after a while", but in practice, industrial control shortages often come from multiple factors, including chip capacity crowding out, original product line adjustment, regional policy and logistics instability. Once a model is included in the quota or delayed production, the actual delivery period is often extended from weeks to months, and even no definite date can be given. For factories with high production line continuity requirements, this uncertainty is a risk in itself.

2. discontinuance (EOL) tends to come earlier than the announcement

Even if the original factory officially announced the suspension of production, the actual single window is often very limited; more commonly, the market has first appeared "de facto production"-the model is still in the official website, but the actual delivery is not possible. Many factories find that key parts are no longer available during equipment maintenance or line expansion, and are forced to look for alternatives on an ad hoc basis, resulting in project delays or higher additional engineering costs.

3. the demand for urgent orders to test the ability to grasp the information of procurement.

When equipment fails or production lines are down, urgent orders are often more important than price. However, the biggest difficulty in urgent orders is not "whether you are willing to pay more", but "whether you can quickly confirm where the goods are really available". In the case of opaque information, procurement needs to spend a lot of time with multiple parties, but may still get vague or unreliable responses, delaying the timing of decision-making.

4. alternatives are not available with the same specifications.

In the face of out-of-stock or shutdown, alternatives are almost a must, but the wrong alternatives can bring higher risk. Products of different brands or generations, even if the basic specifications are similar, may still have differences in communication protocols, software compatibility, certification requirements or long-term maintenance. Alternative decisions that lack complete information and practical experience may instead result in secondary adjustments or even line rework.

Changes in procurement thinking determine the level of risk.

In the era of industrial control supply is no longer stable, the role of procurement is changing from "price comparison and order" to "risk management and supply strategy 」. Understanding out-of-stock trends in advance, understanding product life cycles, and establishing alternative evaluation logic have become necessary capabilities to ensure production stability.

For factories, the ability to obtain reliable market information in the first place is often more critical than whether to find the lowest price. In the future, industrial control procurement will not only be a single point transaction, but also a long-term test of information, judgment and reaction speed.