Whew!
Perhaps the shutdowns are behind us, but just the same the world has become and remains a lot more challenging for everyone to navigate, including businesses. And now, it appears economists and news media are beginning to use the “R” word, as the possibility of another recession looms ever closer. (This article yesterday from Reuters is but one of many recent pieces on the gathering clouds.)
In the face of all that, what’s an electronics contract manufacturing company like Cascade Systems Technology (CST) to do in order to prepare, stay nimble, remain ready to tackle the unknowns, and emerge on the other side of the storm healthy and even stronger? As Intel’s legendary Andy Grove said: “Only the paranoid survive.” Some level of paranoia is good in these times.
Here are some thoughts and strategies we are putting into action at CST. Perhaps my tech ecosystem partners and colleagues will find this summary of them useful.
This is what it comes down to at the end. Those who are paranoid might be the ones who emerge on the other side, stronger. Difficult times present opportunities. These are the times when the winners and losers will be decided and when market gains will be made and solidified.
– Shantanu R. Gupta,
CEO, Cascade Systems Technology
Putting aside the dollars being contemplated, how the spending will be funded, where investments should be targeted, and which side of the political spectrum one falls on – all formidable topics worthy of analysis in their own right — there has long been agreement in D.C. that some sizeable investment in our nation’s infrastructure is necessary to keep America competitive in the decades ahead and to improve our quality of life both now and well into the future.
Moreover, today there appears to be cross-the-aisle acknowledgement that economic woes associated with the pandemic have lent new urgency and momentum to the concept.
Rather than dive into the plan’s details — for that, I suggest you review the Administration’s own write-up or read the summations of reputable media (for instance the New York Times analysis of the Biden plan) — I thought I might offer a couple of observations from the perspective of a technologist and a member of the electronics industry.
My belief is that President Biden’s plan will provide massive opportunities for electronics businesses like Cascade Systems Technology, our suppliers, and our customers.
If you concur and would like to brainstorm ways to leverage and seize these opportunities, let me know! CST has a host of services that can help customers bring infrastructure-ready products to market, and we’d love to partner-up with others in our sector to help make America stronger and more competitive!
And, don’t forget to check back again next month or so, when I’ll weigh in on the importance of strengthening our semiconductor supply infrastructure, in particular!
– Shantanu R. Gupta,
CEO, Cascade Systems Technology