Gameplay is understandably the critical component that ensures an enduring appeal of the industry in the eyes of peers and players, however, this is merely a drop in the ocean when the curtain is pulled back on what goes on ‘behind the scenes’.

Effective supply chain management is integral for all parties involved, with efficiency, costs, flexibility and customer satisfaction just a sample of what hinges on fruitful and functional logistics.

With this in mind, Paul Chu, VP of Operations at Quixant, delves into the importance of such issues, how to bounce back from disruptions and how the company balances its own ambitions with those of its clients.

SBC News: How do you balance supply chain resilience with cost efficiency and innovation speed?

Paul Chu: The key for us is treating supply-chain engineering as part of the product development, not a separate activity at a later date. From the moment we start defining a new platform, engineering and supply-chain teams work together on component selection, risk modelling, and lifecycle planning. 

That early alignment eliminates a large portion of supply chain risk and keeps cost predictable and solution delivery in budget for our customers. From there, we have a strategy and a framework in place that can be upscaled without introducing unnecessary risk.

SBCN: What lessons did Quixant learn from recent global supply chain disruptions?

PC: Being a resilient and adaptable organisation is essential on an ongoing basis and should not simply be driven by the midst of a crisis. While investing time and effort into delivering ‘just in time’ is one of our goals, we adjust flexibly in response to market supply-demand conditions to ensure we meet our customers’ delivery requirements.

We have to proactively ensure that our components have viable alternatives ahead of any issues potentially arising. Our components require transparent lifecycle roadmaps and modularisation – which is key to futureproofing our products.

During disruptions we have seen in recent years, it is essential to take stock and evaluate how you are working. It was game changing to ensure that transparency, flexibility and resilience are all embedded into how we deliver every platform at Quixant.

SBCN: How do you ensure quality and consistency across your global supplier base?

PC:: We take a rigorous, multi-layered approach to ensure that every supplier meets the right standard that the gaming and sports betting industry requires. 

This of course includes an assessment of technical capability and certification at the beginning, but once they are part of our supplier base we continue to perform regular audits and monitor performance, to ensure effective collaboration. 

This collaboration with our suppliers enables us to problem solve, exchange ideas together and understand who is the best placed to deliver particular solutions. 

SBCN: How do customer integration needs (custom builds etc.) affect your supply chain planning?

PC: Customer integration needs – such as custom builds and tailored hardware configurations – directly shape our supply chain planning. With 20 years of developing solutions for the gaming industry, we are highly experienced in delivering custom builds, and we do this through our QMAX range – our modular hardware platforms designed to meet each customer’s exact requirements.

QMAX provides gaming manufacturers with maximum freedom to configure CPU, GPU, I/O, and form-factor options, supported by a wide selection of AMD and Intel processors, all without compromising reliability, lead time, or long-term supply continuity. 

Because these tailored configurations have a direct impact on component selection and availability, we engage early in the design phase to understand integration needs, lead-time expectations, and project constraints, allowing us to plan the supply chain proactively and ensure every solution is delivered on schedule.

By combining this early research with a modular style architecture, we deliver custom solutions within our framework, without the customer having to compromise on lead time or supply chain continuity. It is a balance that you cannot build overnight and one that Quixant has refined over the years.

SBCN: How does the company plan to adapt its supply chain strategy to support next-generation gaming and display technologies?

PC: Creating technology for the future is an ongoing commitment, but we have made significant progress in the recent years through the evolution of our hardware platforms. A standout example is our IQON 3 hardware platform, launched to strong acclaim from both new and existing customers. 

The AMD based, GLI-11 compliant solution combines advanced I/O, battery-free MRAM, additional USB and a dedicated LED port – providing enhanced performance and reliability out of the box.

Our QMAX range has been engineered with long-term flexibility and future-proof support in mind. By managing regulatory compliance on behalf of our customers, we allow them to fully focus on creating exceptional player experiences, and significantly accelerate their time-to-market. 

This capability is increasingly valuable and is set to become even more critical as the next generation of our industry continues to evolve.

SBCN: How does Quixant’s supply chain strategy align with your overall technology and customer integration goals?

PC: Our supply chain strategy is built by design to underpin our entire technology portfolio and accelerate our innovation roadmap and our customer integration goals. It is not an afterthought – it is a foundational element of how we design, develop, and deliver every Quixant platform. 

Whether it is a custom QMAX platform, one of our next generation IQON or IQ platforms, or any of our other hardware solutions, they are engineered with modularity and adaptability in mind – our supply chain mirrors this flexible, future-ready approach.

We qualify multiple suppliers for key components across our product lines, define critical configuration requirements early in the design phase, and forecast any potential long-lead items well in advance. 

This proactive approach to planning reduces the risk of delays or scope creep and ensures that the development of our customers’ solutions remains on schedule and aligned with their project expectations.

By maintaining a reliable, adaptable, and highly coordinated supply-chain and project-management framework across our full technology range, we enable our design teams to innovate with confidence. 

With a robust and predictable supply chain supporting at every step of the journey, they are enabled to focus on engineering the best possible solutions for our customers.