There’s been a great deal of confusion, misinformation and increasing concern concerning potential disruptions to the lighting industry supply chain, and more specifically, component supplies in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
Whilst leading lighting publication Lux Review recently reported1 that major lighting manufacturers and suppliers who source in China appear to be beginning to take active steps to mitigate any impact to product availability, we will likely see the impact of initial factory closures continue to cascade down the supply chain into the coming months.
It is perhaps of little surprise then, that there remains trepidation as the industry appears to be just weeks away from a critical component shortage. Even more so, considering the adverse effects of the coronavirus could leave OEMs and end users alike counting the cost of supply shortages, with some Chinese vendors have increasing component prices by 2-3% due to shortages triggered by factory shutdowns2.
A bright spot: European initiative
The positive news for the industry is that, although the Chinese supply chain remains in short supply, European manufacturers will likely hold the key to alleviating worldwide shortages in LED and other lighting components.
Indeed, there remains a concerted effort amongst European based suppliers – including the team here at Prime Light – to lessen any component shortages from China and the surrounding regions.
At Prime Light we continue to work closely with some of Europe’s leading component suppliers, as well as our customers, in order to effectively minimise any potentially costly disruptions. We are confident that the likelihood of any supply shortages, or indeed international trade issues, will be avoided as almost all components supplied are manufactured in the UK and Europe.
As one of Europe’s leading distributors of high-quality components to the lighting industry, we currently carry over 2 million stock items, and provide specialist sourcing services for some of the world’s leading lighting manufacturers.
If you are facing concerns around supplies due to the outbreak, get in touch with the experienced team at Prime Light by emailing sales@primelight.co.uk or calling 020 8968 2000 to discuss your component requirements and critical projects.