We all remember the tragic images following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The financial cost was huge, but the human cost was immeasurable and it will take people a very long time to recover from such a massive disaster.

The events in Japan are also having a knock-on effect on the electronics market. As so many components are made in the Far East, production of items such as the iPad 2 and the Sony e-reader was interrupted, and stock flow to UK and the rest of the world was disrupted.

As a result of this, many electronics companies have had to move production from Japan, and have been looking for alternative options for components and cheap PCB assembly. China is fast rising as an alternative source of electronic parts, and other nations such as Vietnam, India and even Russia are also becoming players in the electronics market.

With the demand for electronic gadgets increasing, and technology struggling to keep up with demands, the global market needs to be aware of the need for good quality manufacturing, at good prices. Price and reliability are the two factors consumers look for and manufacturers right down the supply chain need to be aware of this.

The West will probably never compete with the East in terms of electronic manufacturing capability but as long as we make sure that the components our companies buy are from responsible companies that do not exploit their workers, this should not be a problem.