A critical shortage of data storage products - ranging from CD-ROM systems to the latest DVD offerings - is about to impact on the local IT market, according to Rectron CEO Mark Lu.
JSE-listed Rectron is one of South Africa`s largest distributors of storage products. It has been hard hit by certain principal suppliers` inability to fulfil orders for popular branded backup and storage products. Stocks at dealer and reseller level are all but exhausted, according to Lu.
"The products are in short supply globally as the result of a critical shortage of specific digital signal processing (DSP) integrated circuit boards - used in most branded offerings - which are being channelled into the burgeoning cell phone industry where they are used in handsets.
"Suppliers cannot keep up with demand and we expect the shortage to last until September if not later in the year," he says.
Rectron has a solution to the problem, according to Lu. "Ricoh is manufacturing a back-up device which incorporates CD-ROM, CD Recorder and DVD technology all in one. Its proprietary DPS IC is not on the `endangered list` and we have taken steps to upgrade our supply of products from this vendor to fill the marketplace void."
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