The ex-CEO of Avnet, Roy Vallee, always said be a lifelong learner and I must admit it took me a long time to understand the meaning. At some point (in my late 40s) I got off my butt and joined the Business Marketing Association (BMA) and it was best move I made. I attended local and…
Details
The Conflict Minerals Regulation is here to stay. A part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed into law in July, 2010 by then President Barack Obama, the conflict minerals regulation has become a global phenomenon. Despised by many industry associations but publicly embraced by all of the major players in…
Details
Electronics distributors figured out some time ago they either have to embrace the digital world or get left behind. Catalog distributors were among the leaders in adopting digital technology to better serve their customers and better manage their back-end operations. In the early days of e-commerce many distributors developed their own systems. As Mouser Electronics’…
Details
Despite concerns over cost, volatility and quality, global procurement professionals are shifting their attention toward China — and away from the U.S., EU and Canada — as a leading sourcing destination, according to an IHS Markit survey. In fact, the share of respondents that plan to increase sourcing in the United States dropped from 44…
Details
Is the electronics supply chain diving headlong into one of its infamous component undersupply situations and the associated procurement woes? Some industry veterans are concerned this may be the case as they watch average selling prices inch higher and demand strengthen in an environment marked by low inventories and limited manufacturing capacity. With companies keeping…
DetailsThe Electronics Representatives Association (ERA) has announced that Dan Parks, CPMR, owner of West Electronic Solutions, Inc., of Costa Mesa, Cal., is the 11th recipient of the Ray Hall Spirit of ERA Award. Parks has served as an ERA national officer since 2011, is the association’s current president and was instrumental in the hiring of…
DetailsSager Electronics, a leading North American distributor of Interconnect, Power and Electromechanical components, celebrates 130 years in business. “We are most proud of our ability to adapt over the years and to the multi-generational commitment we have made to providing excellent customer service,” noted Sager Electronics’ President Frank Flynn. He continued, “From our start selling…
Details
The Trump administration’s position on the free trade agreement (FTA) known as NAFTA is crystal clear: it is considered a “bad deal.” What’s less clear is how any action taken by the administration will impact cross-boarder commerce. The Trump administration has said it will renegotiate or pull out of NAFTA to preserve U.S. jobs. Electronics…
Details
The stage is set for a new round of consolidation in the electronics components distribution market. Though still suffering from the effects of margin pressures, supplier and customer consolidation, commoditization and an almost morbid obsession with design engineers, distributors are about to embark upon the latest in a string of M&A actions that will improve…
DetailsRS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, announced it has extended its relationship with SamacSys, the world’s leading supplier of high-quality PCB schematic symbols and footprints. RS is now offering direct access to schematic symbols and footprints from SamacSys, for all PCB components, via the new PCB…
Details