Kwirirai Rukowo, Managing Executive of Qrent. (Image: Supplied)
The global chip shortage is exposing a painful truth: many businesses are not struggling because chips are unavailable – they are struggling because procurement strategies were built for stability, not disruption.
The fastest and most reliable way to respond to constrained chip availability is not to compete harder for new supply, but to unlock the value already embedded in existing technology.
IDC research confirms that global memory shortages will intensify through 2026 as DRAM and NAND production is prioritised for AI and hyperscale infrastructure. Rising prices, longer lead times and constrained availability are already impacting PCs, servers and enterprise devices.
The shortage is structural, not temporary, and it is exposing the limits of a procurement strategy built only around new equipment. Businesses that assumed supply would always be abundant are discovering that assumption was dangerously naive.
Qrent provides the practical response that the market demands. By enabling structured refurbishment, intelligent re-use and life cycle extension, the company allows organisations to reclaim capacity that would otherwise be discarded or wasted. Every redeployed or optimised device reduces dependence on volatile chip markets and mitigates the operational risks caused by scarcity.
Equally important, supported by its asset tracking software, Qrent also delivers visibility across technology estates. Organisations gain insight into what they already own, what can be re-used and what genuinely requires replacement.
This prevents unnecessary procurement driven by outdated assumptions and reactive strategies. In a market where memory pricing is volatile and supply is prioritised for AI workloads, such intelligence is no longer optional – it is critical for survival.
Kwirirai Rukowo, Managing Executive of Qrent, says the global chip shortage is less a failure of supply but the need for a more resilient sourcing strategy. "Waiting for fabrication capacity to restore normal conditions is a losing proposition. IDC data suggests that even as production expands, AI and hyperscale demand will continue to dominate supply."
Businesses that do not act now to optimise, re-use and manage existing assets will remain exposed, paying more for less, while competitors who act strategically gain resilience.
He says the chip shortage is not just a temporary inconvenience – it is a reckoning. “Qrent ensures organisations can turn refurbished assets into operational strength, reduce exposure to constrained markets and maintain performance in a world where scarcity has become the new normal.
"The fastest and most reliable way to survive is not to chase supply. It is to reclaim what already exists and Qrent makes that possible," he concludes.
