Cyclops are Awarded AS9120 Accreditation!

Cyclops are very pleased to announce that we have recently been awarded the prestigious AS9120 quality accreditation.

The AS9120 Standard is the requirements for a Quality Management System based on AS9100 which adds 100+ additional requirements that are specific to distributors who carry aircraft electronic components like, fasteners, electronics, gaskets, etc. It helps ensure that the materials are handled properly and the part is tracked from manufacturer to customer.

AS9120 was developed for pass-through distributors of aerospace items and addresses chain of custody, traceability, control and availability of records. AS9120 provides suppliers with a comprehensive quality system focused on areas directly impacting product safety and reliability including:

• Splitting - Specific requirements for batch splitting and lot splitting, and how conformance to specification is maintained.
• Airworthiness Certificates - Defines the documents issued by cognizant civil aviation authorities that certifies that parts meet the required airworthiness requirements.
• Control of records - Record requirements differ significantly for distributors of aerospace product. AS9120 defines those requirements.
• Traceability - Defines specific requirements for traceability from receipt until delivery.
• Evidence of Conformance - Specific documents are required by distributors as evidence of conformance. AS9120 defines those requirements.

An AS9120 certificate demonstrates that we are committed to our customers and to the Aerospace, Military and Defence industries.

Cyclops was awarded the AS9120 by the world’s leading certification, audit and verification organisation, SGS. SGS are a trusted leader in certification to standards in the aerospace industry and their recommendations ensure our operations are efficient and cost-effective, while complying with the requirements of the AS9120 Standard.

Follow the link to download our most recent ISO Certificate.

Cyclops Who's Who - The History of Electronic Component Manufacturers

Over the last 50 years the Electronic Component Industry has been changing. Mergers, acquisitions and spin offs have played a key part in the shaping of the Electronic Component Manufacturers that we know today.

But what is the history behind the Electronic Component Industry?

We have developed a useful guide containing information on the history of over 500 Electronic Component Manufacturers which we believe will tell the story of the last 50 years right up to Who's Who in 2013.

To receive your FREE copy please contact us on +44 (0) 1904 415415.

 

Are U.S Companies Prepared for Conflict Minerals Reporting?

On August 22 2012, the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted in favour of a Final Conflict Minerals Regulation.

The final rule requires publicly traded companies in the U.S to annually disclose information on the source of conflict minerals contained within their products and whether any of these minerals originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These minerals include tantalum, tin, gold and tungsten.

EBN report that out of 134 electronics industry managers who attended a recent IHS webinar discussing the regulation, only 7.5% said they were well-prepared for compliance.

Companies must disclose conflict minerals information on a calendar year basis, January 1 - December 31, and the information must be provided using a new form called From SD. This form must be filed by May 31 2014 with information from calendar year 2013.

To find out more information please visit the IPC website who have put together a useful summary of the final rule. 

Investing in Inventory is a Wise Choice

In a recent article in Electronic Sourcing Magazine, Adam Fletcher, chairman of the Electronic Components Supply Network, discusses how investing in inventory is a wise choice for manufacturers, despite it being considered by many as a liability.

Adam explains how one important, but often overlooked role of a distributor is aggregating customer demand and investing in inventory to effectively buffer their customers from fluctuations in lead time availability.

When the devastating earthquake struck Japan in 2011, electronic component lead times increased from an average of 6 weeks to 16 weeks and remained at this level for several months. This led to some manufactures having to put production on hold and even close down plants all together as they couldn't obtain critical electronic components, resulting in a loss of revenue.

Adam believes that this problem can be avoided with a customer/suppler partnership. That's why here at Cyclops we offer our free of charge Scheduling Service.

Our Scheduling Service gives you complete piece of mind, as we source all the parts you will require for anything up to 12 months, so if disaster strikes again, you won't be affected. We store all the parts here in our warehouse, freeing up your valuable space and then work with you to create a delivery schedule that can be varied to suit your needs. We also offer you a fixed price, meaning that you wont be affected by any price fluctuations.

With our Scheduling Service you also only pay as and when you require the parts, we don't ask for the money upfront, so your money isn't tied up in inventory.

Adam Fletcher also believes that unavoidably change will happen again and sooner than we may think, so make sure you get the security you need to prevent any stoppages or surprises and to ensure the smooth running of production.

To find our more information about our Scheduling Service, then contact us on +44 (0) 1904 415415. 

Cyclops Easter Opening Times

Our UK office will be closed for the Easter holidays on Friday 29th March 2013 and Monday 1st April 2013. We will be open as usual on Tuesday 2nd April at 08:45 (GMT) for all your electronic component requirements. 

If you have any enquiries on your desk, send them over and we will work on them straight away after the Easter break.

You can also conduct an instant components search using our extensive online search database that has access to over 10.2 million components globally. 

ECHA Publishes SVHC Consultation List on 4 March 2013

On 4 March 2013, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) published the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) consultation list containing 10 substances. Interested parties have 45 days, ending 18 April 2013, to submit their comments to the agency in regards to identification, further information related to use, exposure, alternatives and also the risk of the proposed substances.

These new additions are a result of the recently published road map for the identification of SVHCs from the European Commission, published on 6 February 2013. This road map is not only targeted at currently known SVHCs but also at identifying new potential substances to be included in the candidate list by 2020.

The candidate list currently contains 138 substances, this will expand to 148 should all 10 proposed SVHCs be accepted. A list of these 10 substances and their potential uses are listed in the table below.

For more information on the industry REACh regulations, please visit our website.

This article in full can be found on the SGS website.

POTENTIAL USES OF 10 POTENTIAL SVHC PUBLISHED BY ECHA ON 4 MARCH 2013

Are you Forecasting for your Financial Year Ahead?

As the beginning of the financial year is nearing for some companies, we understand that many will be looking at how they can increase productivity and cash flow as well as saving on costs. This is why we would like to take this opportunity to highlight our Scheduling Service we offer here at Cyclops.

Our Scheduling Service can offer you many benefits including: 

• Boosting manufacturing productivity
• Fixed pricing for anything up to 12 months in advance
• High volume discount
• Reduced order to delivery lead time
• Increased quality through batch testing 
• Reduced risk of 'line down' or 'stoppages' to your production line

Plus many more, please click here to read them all.

How it works..... Once you have secured a contract, forward your electronic component requirements to us with your projected delivery dates. We will then source the required components and supply you with our proposal.

Once you have reviewed the proposal and are happy with it, contact us to place your order for the full quantities and provide us with your anticipated delivery schedule, this can be varied to suit your needs. Then.... do nothing. We will provide you with the right stock, at the right time, meaning a smoother supply chain and cash flow.

To take advantage of this great service, enter your part number to search our database.

Or to request more information, please call us on +44 (0) 1904 415415.