"Now that the wheels start spinning again, we will see longer lead times for electronics components. We already have begun to notice the effects - in particular with some groups of components," says Ingalill Backlund, purchasing manager at Leab Group. The EMS-provider operates facilities in Lövånger, Uppsala (both Sweden) and Tallinn (Estonia).

For some components delvery times have now tripled - from 6-8 weeks to 14-20 weeks. This is a consequence of the financial crisis, when many component manufacturers reduced their capacity. Now demand is increasing and so are the delivery times.

"We encourage our customers to extend their forecasts so we can secure components for the desired delivery plan and avoid any delivery problems. It is especially important to keep in close contact with their respective contact at Leab. Then, of course, the risk of increased component prices is also imminent", says Ingalill Backlund.