When a customer’s product leaves our electronics design and manufacturing facility on time and to spec, few people stop to think about the hundreds of parts inside it. Where they came from. Whether they arrived when they should. Whether anything changed along the way.

Beccy Myles does. It’s her job.

Just over six months ago, Beccy joined Electrica in the newly created role of Supply Chain Administrator, supporting the electronics design and manufacturing we deliver in-house here in Manchester. She makes sure the components our customers need are ordered, tracked and delivered on time, and that if anything threatens that, we know about it early.

We caught up with Beccy to find out more about her role, the challenges of an electronics supply chain, and life outside work. Here’s what she had to say.

From aerospace and lighting to electronics

Before joining Electrica, I worked in the lighting industry, managing the engineering change process. That meant coordinating updates, maintaining records, and making sure changes were implemented effectively and communicated to the right departments.

Before that, I worked in aerospace in various roles, from engineering admin to a busy manufacturing site.

I was drawn to Electrica because I wanted to work for a company with high-quality standards. When I met Mike and he showed me around, it was clear that Electrica was a reliable, friendly place to work. I enjoy organising information, solving problems and helping things run smoothly, so the role felt like a natural fit.

What I do

I help make sure the electronic parts our customers need are ordered, monitored and delivered when they’re required. I communicate with suppliers, track orders and investigate any problems that could affect delivery, quality or availability.

Day to day, that includes:

  • Placing and monitoring purchase orders
  • Liaising with suppliers and checking order acknowledgements
  • Tracking deliveries
  • Investigating changes to prices, quantities and delivery dates
  • Keeping our system, supplier and purchasing records accurate and up to date

Why it matters, even when you don’t see it

A lot of my work happens behind the scenes, but it helps customers receive the correct parts at the right time. Because we handle electronics design and manufacturing under one roof, it also connects our engineers, our production team and our suppliers.

By monitoring orders, maintaining accurate records and following up with suppliers, I can identify risks before they become a problem. That’s particularly important for customers in industries where quality and reliability are essential.

A market that never stands still

The electronics supply chain can change very quickly. Components may have long lead times, limited availability, or become obsolete with relatively little notice.

The market is also being heavily influenced by demand for AI infrastructure and data centres. Large technology companies are securing significant volumes of memory and semiconductor capacity, which can reduce availability and increase prices for other industries.

When the plan changes

One challenge is when a supplier changes a delivery date and the parts are needed urgently. I contact the supplier to understand the reason, request the earliest possible delivery, and see whether quantities can be brought forward or split.

I may also explore approved alternative sources or ask our engineering team for suitable replacement parts. But any alternative has to be properly checked and approved, so we know it meets the customer’s technical and quality requirements.

What I didn’t expect

I didn’t expect there to be so much technical detail involved. I’ve learned about electronic components, manufacturers, materials, certifications, quality requirements and component obsolescence.

I’ve also learned how important accurate records and traceability are. A small change to a part number, specification, supplier or delivery date can have a much wider impact.

With the company now working towards AS9100, the aerospace quality standard, it’s an exciting time to be involved in improving our processes and supporting our continued development.

How you can help us help you

Providing forecasts and requirements as early and accurately as possible makes a real difference. It gives us more time to secure stock, manage long lead times and investigate alternatives if a part is unavailable.

Clear information about specifications, traceability, certification and any special quality requirements helps too. It means we can make sure these are communicated throughout the supply chain from the beginning.

Electrica in three words

Supportive, knowledgeable and quality-focused.

  • Supportive, because people are willing to help one another and share their experience.
  • Knowledgeable, because the team has a great deal of technical and industry expertise.
  • Quality-focused, because we understand the importance of getting things right and continually improving our processes.

Away from work

I love cooking, eating good food and drinking nice wine! I enjoy doing things for my girls and boyfriend, Zumba, gardening, and going for long walks (usually with a pub at the end). I also like cleaning – sad, I know!

At the moment I’m trying to learn Italian. I’ve tried learning the keyboard, guitar, sewing, drawing… the list goes on!

We’re glad to have Beccy on the team. That same curiosity and willingness to learn is exactly what she brings to work every day.