COGD marks two decades in fight against obsolescence risks

The non-profit industry association works with manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders to identify risks early and develop strategies to prevent or mitigate supply disruptions. Obsolescence – the discontinuation or sudden unavailability of components, software, or replacement parts – has become a growing concern for industries that must ensure long-term system availability. This is particularly critical in sectors such as aerospace, rail, military technology, medical devices, and automation, where equipment can remain in service for decades while key components may only be produced for a few years.

COGD chairman Axel Wagner said the organisation’s growth reflects both its relevance and the scale of the problem.

“Of course, we are delighted about the continuous growth in COGD membership, but the sharp rise in membership is unfortunately also proof that materials, software, electronic components, and other replacement parts that have been discontinued or are suddenly no longer available on the free market for other reasons have become a serious problem for more and more industrial companies in recent years,” Wagner says in a press release.

According to Wagner, product discontinuations have surged over the past two decades, especially for electronic components.

“One of the reasons for this are the extremely short life cycles of smartphones, smart watches, and other innovation drivers in the consumer sector. But in other areas that are important for security of supply, such as the resilience of international supply chains, the cost of taking precautions has also risen significantly,” says Wagner

Wagner highlights that continuous intensive exchange of information and data with manufacturers, associations, political organisations, and other association members will remain crucial for eliminating or at least reducing obsolescence risks in the future. He says that effective obsolescence management requires companies to identify supply chain weaknesses as early as possible – not just shortly before the start of series production, but rather during the evaluation and development phase of a new product.

“An early comprehensive risk analysis requires a correspondingly large, constantly updated, and, if possible, automatically processable database. And, of course, the necessary expertise and extensive experience,” he said.

The association’s initiatives include the integration of the smartPCN standard in the IEC 62402 standard and advocacy for reduced bureaucracy in the electronics sector. Wagner stressed that effective obsolescence management must begin early in product development, supported by robust and up-to-date data resources.

Evertiq has highlighted this issue for years, both in its reports and by inviting experts to address it during its Evertiq Expos. Data shows that approximately half a million EOL (End of Life) notices are issued each year – exposing every electronic design to obsolescence component risks.

During Evertiq Expo Gothenburg on September 4, 2025, Ronny Nietzsche from Rochester Electronics will take the stage to introduce a number of strategies that can be applied already at the design stage to better prepare for future EOL events. In short, his presentation will offer a brief introduction to what “Design for Obsolescence” can look like in practice.