Mike Reddington, CEO of the BSIA and Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, recently released a joint statement on the issues being faced by both industries and the work they are undertaking in lobbying the Mininster for Security to offer assurances on the situation.

The BSIA and FIA special interest group has continued to develop its relationships with other affected key industry bodies to learn more about the supply shortages affecting electronic components across not just the security and fire industry sectors, but also those of wider interest such as electrical and construction sectors.

Having surveyed their members on these issues, the statement reveals that there is an overarching picture emerging of increased costs, delay in delivery and an overall tangible impact on  businesses.

Some of the most impactful comments reported from members suggest that:

• Components continue to be in short supply with lead times of up to a year

• Allocations continue to restrict supply

• Some component manufacturers insist on non-cancellable orders with excessive lead time

• Sourcing parts outside of the usual distributor network resulting in some components costing 10 to 20 times the usual price

• Additional shipping delays are adding an extra 10 to 15 days and increasing

Since an initial statement to members on this issue in September this year, the BSIA and FIA group has reached out to key government contacts and other influential bodies to seek assurance that supplies are prioritised for security, life safety and social care sectors. However, those requests to date through the office of the Minister for Security have revealed a less than satisfactory response, suggesting the issue is being passed to other departments in government.

The BSIA continues to use its wide government reach to leverage a positive response to this developing situation, and wishes to reassure its members that it will continue to explore all avenues to seek where possible to guarantee the component supply chain for critical safety and security systems.