by Franco Musiari, ASSODEL
The economic crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting most industries. But despite the difficulties, the electronics sector has shown a limited decline. Above all, it has the required strength to get out of this social and economic crisis more rapidly. Key accelerators are digital transformation, green technologies and the need for more intelligent and efficient systems.
According to Assodel (The Italian Association for electronics clusters) market report on the electronic distribution market, after a first quarter drop of 3.5% and a second quarter of heavy decline with -19.4% compared to the same period last year, the third quarter registered a decline of 12.9%. 2020 will most likely close on a negative note, but the forecast for 2021 and 2022 are encouraging.
Semiconductors were down 17% compared to 2019. Sensors were the least affected. Passives were up 0.4% compared to the same quarter in 2019, while systems such as displays closed the quarter with a decline of 14%. Wireless, on the other hand, performed better than the others components.
Giving a general look, there is another emerging trend to keep watching. Artificial intelligence is moving forward at a fast pace and this will imply the need of billions of transistors. The future scenario of this technology will bring new companies in the market.
While it is true that, with automation, the work output will increase, it is also true that it is changing the future of recruitment. Companies that are investing in digital transformation are looking for new professional profiles to include in their workforce. The degree of technological complexity is increasing and, as a consequence, the skills required to master it are increasing.
