Flooding in Thailand Disrupts Tech Supply Chain

News
By
published

The ongoing severe flooding in Thailand appears to have impact on the availability on the overall supply in the region.

According to a report published by Forbes, more than 200 factories have been closed due to flooding.

Honda, Microsemi, ON Semiconductor, Hutchinson Technology, Canon, and Western Digital confirmed plant closures at this time, while Nikon, Pioneer, Toyota and Sony reported that either supply disruption or water damage to their facilities has occurred. Seagate said that supply of components for its products will be "constrained" due to the flooding.

There were no details from the tech industry just how severe the supply constraints will be. We know, however, that Toyota produces about 630,000 vehicles (Camry and Corolla models) in its Thai plants - about 8 percent of its production.

Millions of people in Thailand have been affected by the flooding, 281 people were confirmed dead as of Thursday.

Douglas Perry
10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • AbdullahG
    When it comes to news like this, we should put first the devastation and loss of life before economics. Morals are important.
    Reply
  • ajvkorn
    ^...it's a tech website...So...I would imagine economics comes first?
    Reply
  • AbdullahG
    ajvkorn^...it's a tech website...So...I would imagine economics comes first?When it comes to situations like this, I would care more about the human life than economics. Morals and compassion are one of the things that make us humans, not technology and money. I have relatives that live VERY close to Thailand for career purposes, so to me, economic is the least of my worries.
    Reply
  • jdw_swb
    I live in Bangkok, and I have left my home yesterday...staying with friends for a few nights.

    Hope my home is ok when I go back.
    Reply
  • alyoshka
    Isn't being close to Thailand for Career Purposes connected to Economics of life. It's like saying ,"I got into the Cartel" and then landed up dead... but it was not because of the money, after ll, Cannabis has it's medical uses too.
    Sorry for you loss or damages to human life there. But this is still a Tech site, and we'd be the last on earth to be bothered by such stuff if it didn't hit us technologically. We'd be writing this stuff on the BBC in that case.
    My sympathies anyways.
    Reply
  • ojas
    Millions of people in Thailand have been affected by the flooding, 281 people were confirmed dead as of Thursday.

    AbdullahGWhen it comes to news like this, we should put first the devastation and loss of life before economics. Morals are important.
    Agreed, it kind of feels odd to be saying "oh damn! i won't get a bigger HDD this month because millions of people decided to get affected by flooding"

    But then again...this is a tech site...*moral dilemma* :(

    Anyway, i hope they get the help they need...
    Reply
  • stingstang
    I can't understand how so many people die from flooding. Not to be cruel, but... "Oh my gosh, running water! How can we ever escape?!"
    Reply
  • lp231
    I'll bet if it has nothing to do with technology, I doubt this article will be on this site. Like those hurricane events not to long ago, hurricanes causing damage and lives lost, you won't see it on any tech site. But if hurricane were somehow related to twitter, blah, blah, blah, you get that at instant front page news! It's not only THG that does it, most others does this too.

    Anyway Mother Nature two weapons are wind and water. A breeze or a trickle means no harm, but when they comes at you with full force,
    just pray you will live through it. Hope the people of Thailand are safe and well.

    Reply
  • f-14
    a friend of mine is a lead engineer for hutchinson tech in hutchinson, mn. i emailed this to him and he responded there is no problem with the north american supply as they are set until mid december, it's just fear mongering to drive up prices for a collapsing dead end market much like the oil companies and wall street futures market advertises all the little oil production mishaps yet mention nothing about the alaskan pipeline being nothing but a giant rust line in the snow with about 40,000 band aides clamped onto all that rusty line where there is nothing left for the rust to eat for the last 10 years while BP milks it for every dime it can pump as other inspectors and engineers working it have told me.
    Reply
  • gm0n3y
    First world problems.
    Reply