[jnorthrop]

Yes, they more or less invented the concept of just in time delivery, but they also suffered supply chain issues after the Fukushima earth quake. After the latter incident they made the risk calculation that inventory of some parts was worth the expense.

[Gibbon1]

Reminds me years ago my company used 16X2 LCD modules for a couple products. You could buy them from two dozen manufacturers. Then one day a Typhoon went over the only factory in the world that made the driver IC's.

We tried to order 100 and were told the lead time was 36 weeks. We got through it with existing stock, scrounging displays from dead boards. Buying different displays and replacing the backlights. Small orders of 10 here, 15 there. And pushing a few customers out a month or two.