The 2020-2021 pandemic has caused a ripple effect to many unexpected outcomes, as businesses are getting back into action the world is now being affected by the results. A shortage of chips, also known as semiconductors, is now affecting multiple sectors of America’s business including the Office Technology providers of printing output devices such as Copiers, Printers, Large Format devices, and document Scanner devices. This trickle effect of a chip shortage has caused multiple backorders for consumers, a lack of production, and an increase in demand due to the deficiency of supply.

Many sources claim some of the reason for this shortage coincides with labor, shipping (including ports), poor planning, environmental factors, unexpected increase of technology demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in combination with a decrease in the manufacturing of the chips in the US. (Taiwan being the main source of chip production and China using those chips to create A3 technology for printing companies) plays a factor in the strain of supply in America. The US is currently working on increasing its production of chips to help diminish this issue and the reliance on other countries.

The printing, and technology Manufactures, such as Canon are one of many companies being affected by this shortage. DocuProducts is an Authorized Canon Dealer, selling multifunction printers, scanners, fax machines, toners, and technology parts that use these chips to provide our services to our Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles County customers. Due to the chip shortage and worldwide backorders pro-active solution providers, like DocuProducts, have ordered extra devices and chip related parts for inventory. This gives them products to sell and service where other manufacturers/re-sellers of multi-functional printers and parts from third party vendors have been pushed back to an unknown estimated time of arrival ultimately affecting the end users.

Researchers claim the chip shortage can last well into 2022 and hopefully be resolved in 2023. Allowing manufacturers to increase supply and lowering the demand, resulting in a price drop in chip-using technology for business and their consumers.

Although this chip shortage has been affecting many office equipment companies, DocuProducts continues to provide our customers excellent and efficient customer service. We find innovative ways to continue to ensure our customers’ needs are being met and fulfilled. When finding the right company to rent, lease, or buy your Canon printers, make sure you do your research. When asking yourself who you want to do business with making sure your vendor is proactive and mitigating this worldwide chip shortage issue. Your business may depend on it!