CHIP AVAILABILITY

INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY

The fastest and most reliable way to respond to constrained chip availability is not to compete harder for new supply, but to unlock the value already embedded in existing technology.

IDC research confirms that global memory shortages will intensify through 2026 as DRAM and NAND production is prioritised for AI and hyperscale infrastructure. Rising prices, longer lead times and constrained availability are already impacting PCs, servers and enterprise devices.

The shortage is structural, not temporary, and it is exposing the limits of a procurement strategy built only around new equipment. Businesses that assumed supply would always be abundant are discovering that assumption was dangerously naive.

Qrent believes it provides the practical response that the market demands. The company says that by enabling structured refurbishment, intelligent reuse and lifecycle extension, organisations can reclaim capacity that would otherwise be discarded or wasted.

Kwirirai Rukowo, Managing Executive, Qrent

what can be reused and what genuinely requires replacement.

This prevents unnecessary procurement driven by outdated assumptions and reactive strategies. In a market where memory pricing is volatile and supply is prioritised for AI workloads, such intelligence is no longer optional – it is critical for survival.

Kwirirai Rukowo, Managing Executive, Qrent, says the global chip shortage is less a failure of supply but the need for a more resilient sourcing strategy.“ Waiting for fabrication capacity to restore normal conditions is a losing proposition. IDC data suggests that even as production expands, AI and hyperscale demand will continue to dominate supply.”

Businesses that do not act now to optimise, reuse and manage existing assets will remain exposed, paying more for less, while competitors who act strategically gain resilience.

He says the chip shortage is not just a temporary inconvenience – it is a reckoning.“ Qrent ensures organisations can turn refurbished assets into operational strength, reduce exposure to constrained markets, and maintain performance in a world where scarcity has become the new normal.”

“ The fastest and most reliable way to survive is not to chase supply. It is to reclaim what already exists and Qrent makes that possible,” he concludes. •

Qrent adds that every redeployed or optimised device can help reduce dependence on volatile chip markets and mitigate the operational risks caused by scarcity.

Qrent also emphasises that, supported by its asset tracking software, it delivers visibility across technology estates. The company says organisations can gain insight into what they already own,

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INTELLIGENT CIO AFRICA

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