As if 2020 hadn’t sent us all enough challenges, it’s parting ”gift” to AKM, based in Nobeoka City, Japan, was a devasting factory fire. Producing integral circuit parts to a wide range of consumer electronics products, many within the mobile radio market, the impact of the fire on AKM’s supply chain commitments is now being felt.
We are aware that Icom UK have announced they are among those affected, with new material sourcing and safety standard certification required for their key models the IC-F2000 and IC-F29SR series’. Over stocking contingencies were then further complicated by unprecedented demand as the country reopened from lockdown leading to limited availability in the coming months.
Icom UK Ltd representatives have said, “We will be offering the ever popular and award-winning IC-F4002 as an alternative to our licensed IC-F2000 analogue series. However, this will still leave a gap in PMR446 whilst a new model is created, approved and manufacturing is back underway.
We apologise for this serious disruption most sincerely. Since our start back in 1974, we have never faced an event like this and we are working hard to rectify the situation and bring new alternatives to you.
To reiterate, for business radio, other models are ok, it is the F2000 / F29SR family that is affected.”
