I hear of people wary of what the year ahead might bring, fearing the very real effects of inflation, geopolitical instability, or afraid of the recession overcast. But I also hear - frequently from the same sources - that business remains strong, and demand for products and services has never been higher, as one would expect from a post-pandemic relief. These are very unusual circumstances and I believe one should not strategize based on variables we cannot control.

Actual challenges continue to be the supply chain instability, manufacturing hurdles resulting from the prolonged COVID restrictions in China, transportation and logistical problems, and the difficulty in hiring for much-needed engineering and technical positions. Those are the circumstances that deserve attention and taking action.

For those who didn't plan for change, the last thing you should do is wait or do nothing. Standing still is the worse strategy.

One of the main reasons why I believe some trade shows will be crucial in 2023 has to do with the supply chain problems. Very few companies have full control over their complete production chain, and many are selling existing inventory without any certainty of being able to restock current portfolios. In the multiple industry events I attended in 2022, I have witnessed that most companies were still struggling on how to be fully transparent about those challenges.

In 2023, there's very little room to kick the can down the road, leave unfinished products on the production lines, and not being open about these challenges. It's important for brands to admit the need to discontinue products they are no longer able to manufacture. And more importantly, start promoting future production and road maps based on new designs adjusted to availability. Those who have openly admitted their struggles, and have adjusted more quickly, are in a good place now. In 2023, everyone will need to be very realistic in terms of their abilities to actually ship what they are promoting, and promote based on the ability to deliver.

Remember the term "off-the-shelf"? And when we associated "off-the-shelf" to things that were readily available?

As the pandemic effects revealed, off-the-shelf products are ones that manufacturers basically "dumped" in large volumes to distribution channels and forgot about. When those "off-the-shelf" products sell out - more often than not, the manufacturer is unable to resume production of the exact same item for all sorts of reasons (including factories that had closed more than 10 years ago, as we've learned).

And the frightening discovery was the realization that some of these items, including widely used electronic components, were sitting on shelves for many years, and no one was really controlling the whole inventory given it was all being held by "omnichannel" suppliers or global distributors that have very good inventory management on their own, but apparently don't report back to factories and are not sharing that information outside of their own systems. The result is, manufacturing clients who have been sustaining production from "off-the-shelf" components without really any notion of the risks. Once they realized what was happening, it was too late.

Yes, many manufacturers have reacted quickly and anticipated the need to redesign boards, replace core processors, and even rethink and renew whole products. In the circumstances that a brand has committed to long-term delivery - as it happens for many government, military, and commercial projects - under the inevitability of not being able to keep an item in production, it's critical to ensure minimum stocks are kept for existing projects, while ensuring that an improved direct replacement is offered in time. This will be a trend in 2023. Not necessarily introducing completely new concepts, but instead offering products that improve and replace existing items in a catalog. Whenever possible, updating products to the latest and forward-looking technologies.

Although there are many trade shows lining up for the first months of the next year, CES 2023 will be the first, and it will be also unique for many reasons. The Bluetooth LE Audio transition is one of the key topics. As well as the fact that this will be the first and largest Smart Home focused trade show since the publication of the Matter 1.0 specification. And there's also strong momentum for hearables, wearables, and true wireless designs, all the excitement around Edge AI, sensor fusion, MEMS (microphones and speakers), USB Power Delivery (USB-C), smart amps, and many more pieces of the technology puzzle, of which the audio industry is a part. And specifically for CES, all the incredible levels of innovation in automotive technologies surround the car platform itself. And those are just some of the core reasons for audio industry professionals to be excited.

And there's another important topic to address. CES is a very strong B2B trade show in all technology areas. For each exhibitor that holds a booth in one of the multiple show floors (in the many Tech Areas and many different locations), there is another company with a business suite or invitation-only showcase around Las Vegas. For every registered visitor to CES, there is another trade supplier in town doing business with those exhibiting companies. Increasingly, there is a whole ecosystem of vendors and suppliers doing business with industry companies and OEM/ODMs who are just visiting. And with the pandemic having made CES smaller, and consequently some of the best located rooms and spaces becoming again available, this whole B2B ecosystem will get closer to the show itself - and is likely to grow.

As previously announced, audioXpress is supporting the Audio and Loudspeaker Technologies International (ALTI) Association Hospitality Suite at CES 2023, located on Level 3 of the Venetian Expo and Convention Center (that used to be the Sands convention center). In Suite Lido 3101B, ALTI is welcoming a number of associated member companies, including Menlo Scientific, Nuvoton, DB Enterprises, SensiBel, Composite Sound, Dinaburg Technologies, Radian Audio, Ferrotec, Audio Codecs, Sonical.ai, and others, all of which are key technology, speaker and parts suppliers for the audio industry. The ALTI suite is also the place where copies of audioXpress and Voice Coil magazines will be available.

Barry Vogel, ALTI's Executive Director, is already busy planning further B2B initiatives to support ALTI member companies in other important audio industry events next year. Details to be soon announced. Meanwhile, preparations for a strong return to the DoubleTree by Hilton in Orlando, FL, for ALTI Expo and Conference 2023 (June 11-12, 2022) is also well under way.

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audioXpress features great articles, projects, tips, and techniques for the best in quality audio. It connects manufacturers and distributors with audio engineers and enthusiasts eager for innovative solutions in sound, acoustic, and electronics.

Voice Coil, the periodical for the loudspeaker industry, delivers product reviews, company profiles, industry news, and design tips straight to professional audio engineers and manufacturers who have the authority to make powerful purchasing decisions.

The Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook is the most comprehensive collection of listings on loudspeaker material in the industry. Purchasers and decision makers refer to the guide for an entire year when making selections on drivers, finished systems, adhesives, domes, crossovers, voice coils, and everything in between.