SUPPLY CHAIN    FORECAST

Asia - Supply chains in Asia are set to experience "increasing multiplicity", said Dr Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, economic advisor to MasterCard in Asia Pacific at the MasterCard Worldwide 2010 Asia Economic Outlook yesterday.

Dr Hendrick-Wong, in explaining "increasing multiplicity" illustrates by saying supply chains in Asia will place more emphasis on intra-regional trade of finished products along with its current proficiency in components.

According to him, there has been an emergence of a China-centric supply chain in which components from within the region are imported to China where it is put together. The final product is then sent to Western Europe and North America.

"Components will continue to be of importance," clarifies Dr Hedrick-Wong. "But because of the rise in the consumer market in Asia, the demand from each of the different markets will actually be much bigger in terms of finished products."

Asia can anticipate a simultaneous growth of both component exports and finished products exports, making the region even more robust than ever, he said.

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