“We don’t just find what’s impossible, we help you avoid the impossible happening.”
— Jenny Buckley, Sales Manager, Obso Automation
The trend we’re seeing
Over the past year I’ve noticed a clear pattern across automation and maintenance teams worldwide.
Many only call us when a line is already down when a rare Siemens CPU or Allen Bradley drive has failed and the OEM says “no longer available.”
We’re happy to help in those moments (it’s what we’re known for), but relying on emergency sourcing as a strategy is starting to hurt businesses.
Supply chains are less predictable, OEM lifecycles are shorter, and global stock moves faster than ever. Reactive buying is becoming expensive and stressful.
The shift to procurement partnerships
Forward‑thinking manufacturers are now treating obsolete and hard‑to‑find parts as part of their procurement planning, not just a last minute phone call.
At Obso we’ve become more than a supplier to these companies: we’re their “spares arm.”
We work alongside maintenance and purchasing teams to forecast risk, locate stock before failure happens and build secure supply lists for the year.
This pre‑emptive approach saves time and money and protects production schedules. It’s exactly where the industry is heading.
Current trends in automation spares
- OEM life cycles are shortening. We’re seeing product families reclassified as ‘mature’ in half the time they used to.
- More mix‑generation plant environments. Factories are running new AI‑linked devices next to 20‑year‑old PLCs.
- Patchy availability and price spikes. A part that costs £600 today might be £1200 next month.
- Greater global competition for tested stock. If you need it today, someone else probably does too.
How to stay ahead
- Map your automation inventory, know every critical PLC, HMI and drive.
- Flag at‑risk parts – we can mark which models are officially ‘mature’ or ‘phase‑out’.
- Order strategically, add a buffer spare before demand and price rise.
- Centralise your sourcing, use one trusted contact for tested and traceable hardware rather than multiple unknown suppliers.
That’s where we make life simpler; our clients send us their part list once, and we handle monitoring and supply for the whole year.
Looking forward
The next few years won’t get easier for maintenance teams. OEM support cycles will keep getting shorter, and lead times longer.
But the solution is already available, strategic sourcing through specialists who know the market and can plan for you.
“Our job is to take the headache out of parts supply to help before there’s a problem, not after.”
— Jenny Buckley, Sales Manager at Obso Global
Summary
The pattern is clear. Manufacturers who build a relationship with a trusted procurement partner see less downtime, more certainty and lower overall costs.
Obso Auomtationl is here to be that partner, supporting you from planning ahead to sourcing the impossible.
Send us your parts list today. We’ll flag which units are at risk and help you secure reliable stock before you need it.