360 Vision Technology successfully combats global component shortages

360 Vision Technology, the UK manufacturer of rugged HD, hybrid, radar and thermal imaging cameras, has confirmed that, despite global component shortages, the company is bucking the trend by offering customers short lead times on its ranges of static and PTZ cameras.

As is true of many industries relying on the use of semiconductors and other electronic components, the global pandemic has seriously affected consistent component supply, thereby increasing lead times. In addition, even when they are available, some key component costs have risen dramatically.

In order to combat the inevitable challenges about to face the global supply chain, 360 Vision Technology introduced ‘extraordinary planning measures’ early on in the component crisis in a bid to secure bulk-buy purchasing on all key components for a minimum of 12 months on all standard product options. 

To cope with the additional demand on storage, 360 Vision Technology also invested in building a new factory floor facility that would hold the massive component stock.

“Despite global supply shortages affecting most CCTV camera manufacturers, with many quoting as much as 16 to 26 weeks for delivery, 360 Vision Technology is pleased to confirm that its current lead time on all orders for standard camera products remains between four and six weeks,” explained Sara Fisher, 360 Vision Technology’s sales director.

“Supporting British industry,” added Fisher, “the majority of 360 Vision Technology’s components are manufactured in the UK. Allied to this, our purchasing team has managed to consistently source components and maintain a cost platform that has led to little or no price increases being passed to our customers.”

Fisher concluded: “We remain confident in our continued supply of UK designed and manufactured products to support our installer and end user customers with price and lead-time confidence for their time-sensitive projects.”

*Additional information is available on the 360 Vision Technology website at www.360visiontechnology.com

IHMA report reveals “strong demand” for packaging authentication technology

According to the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), the Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Professional Survey Report 2018 signals the ‘added expertise… holograms provide in the authentication of packaging products’. This reaffirms the ‘strong and robust’ market for holograms among authentication devices in the coming years.

The report examines the anti-counterfeit packaging market in North America, China, Europe, Asia, Japan and India and forecasts production, revenue, consumption and import and export in these regions up to 2025. 

The market for global anti-counterfeit packaging technologies is set to continue to grow in the next few years, reaching more than US$357 billion by 2026. Growth in packaging anti-counterfeiting devices appears ‘strong and lucrative’, states the IHMA, in the face of continued incidences of global counterfeiting and sector awareness of advanced track and trace hologram technologies.

Those involved in the packaging sector, including brand owners and converters, will benefit from the commercial opportunities built around anti-counterfeit packaging technologies identified in the report.

Counterfeiting: a lucrative business

Counterfeiting is very lucrative and the IHMA is calling for all in the packaging supply chain to apply pressure to tackle the billions of fake products inundating global markets. Security devices on packaged goods can ensure quality and check the distribution and smuggling of illicit products, while items not displaying security holograms can be seized and destroyed.

Manoj Kochar: chair of the IHMA

Reviewing the report, IHMA chair Manoj Kochar said people cannot afford to rest on their laurels when it comes to the war on counterfeiting. “Holography has a key role to play as an effective and highly flexible weapon in the ongoing battle to thwart the counterfeiters and fraudsters. All involved in the supply chain will be reassured by the presence of holograms on products and recognise the benefits they provide.”

The use of well-designed and properly deployed authentication solutions, as advocated by ISO 12931, enables examiners to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from fake products emanating from counterfeiting ‘hot spots’ in Asia and eastern Europe.

Even those that carry a ‘fake’ authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution.

Detail on the IHMA

The IHMA is made up of 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world. Those members actively co-operate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.

 

BSI launches PAS 7000 global risk management standard for supply chains

BSI, the business standards company, has launched PAS 7000, a universally applicable supply chain information standard for suppliers and buyers operational at organisations of all sizes around the globe.

PAS 7000 Supply Chain Risk Management: Supplier Pre-Qualification helps answer three key questions relating to any organisation’s supply chain partners: ‘Who are they?’, ‘Where are they?’ and ‘Can they be relied upon?’

The standard exhibits the collective expertise of 240 professionals drawn from global industry associations and organisations* and addresses product, process and behavioural criteria for supplier pre-qualification.

PAS 7000 has been created in response to industry demand, with three quarters of executives considering supply chain risk management important or very important¹. As supply chains increasingly span continents, and brands become ever more exposed due to the demand for increased transparency, so the challenge for procurement teams to assess the suitability of suppliers increases. 63% of EMEA companies have experienced disruption to their value chain due to unpredictable events beyond their control in the last 12 months at an average cost of £449,525 per incident per company².

PAS 7000 brings transparency and cost savings to the procurement of supply chains

PAS 7000 provides companies with a uniform set of common information requirements that reduces duplication of effort in completing tender forms and aids procurement in bringing consistency to the supplier base. It establishes a model of governance, risk and compliance information for buyers to pre-qualify suppliers and confirm their intention and ability to adhere to key compliance requirements. In turn, this helps organisations make an informed decision about whether or not to engage with a potential supply chain partner.

Howard Kerr, CEO at BSI, said: “Today’s consumers and employees demand integrity from the organisations with which they’re dealing. Acting with integrity requires confidence in all those involved in delivering a service. Anything else risks brand reputation. The benefit of this new standard is that it helps brands to align their supply chain with their corporate values by adopting an internationally defined framework of good practice for supplier pre-qualification.”

Major benefits of PAS 7000

• Structured and presented to be equally accessible for both suppliers and buyers
• Based on international consensus developed by procurement and supply chain professionals drawn from across the EU, the US and the APAC region
• Includes a wide range of potentially relevant topic modules such as capacity and capabilities, environmental management, employment policies, business continuity, traceability and data protection to name but a few
• The modular approach to information required permits the building of respective modules into a customised matrix supported by a common set of application principles or rules
• Provides a degree of flexibility for tailoring the information to particular organisational needs while at the same time retaining a robust and repeatable approach
• Helps mitigate risks and reputational damage

Kerr added: “This new information model approach involves a concept shift away from that of ‘providing questions that are to be asked by buyers in order to solicit answers from suppliers’ to one where there is ‘a generally accepted information model that’s provided by suppliers and that’s acquired and used by buyers as required’. It’s a fundamental change that will hopefully increase transparency and trust in the supply chain, as well as saving time and effort for both suppliers and buyers in the future.”

For further information (and to download the PAS 7000 standard free of charge) visit: http://www.bsigroup.com/PAS7000

References

¹‘Don’t play it safe when it comes to Supply Chain Risk Management’ (Accenture Global Operations Megatrends Study 2015)
²Dynamic Markets: Managing the Value Chain in Turbulent Times (Oracle, March 2013)

*Organisations involved in the development of PAS 7000 include: Achilles Group Limited, Altius Vendor Assessment Limited, Astra Zeneca, Brother Industries Ltd, Builder’s Profile (UK) Ltd, Capita plc, Celgene Corporation, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, Dainippon Screen MFG Co Ltd, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Japan Audit and Certification Organisation for Environment and Quality, Japan Quality Assurance Organisation, London Underground Limited, Metcash Limited, Onward Kashiyama Co Ltd, Osaka Izumi Co-operative Society, PICS Auditing, Sanitarium Health and Well-Being, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Risk Management Inc, Supply Chain Council – Hong Kong, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and the Vendigital Group