Someone once started a book with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I think such words are applicable to our industry now. We have recently completed a transformation of our industry from the pre-ubiquitous electronic communications age to the first phase of the connected-all-the-time-via-electrons-and-radio-signals age.

While the electronics era will go through many startling phases in the future, I think we took most of our lumps in Phase 1. We did not handle this phase with finesse, but we got through it.

Now we enter the fiber shortage phase. Fortunately, this is occurring at the same time our main competitor, plastics, is experiencing near record high raw material prices (petroleum). Can we handle this with sophistication and expertise or will we stumble drunkenly forward?