The announcement is vaguely reminiscent of the 1990s: A successful distributor in its domestic market is duplicating its model overseas. This time, however, it’s a European company establishing itself in the U.S. Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH, founded in 1973 in Ispringen, Germany, has opened its U.S. headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. (See facts and figures, below.) Its…
Electronics distributors, particularly those that specialize in engineering and design volumes, are seeing an increase in orders from do-it-yourselfers and hobbyists. Often, people that tinker with electronics are also involved in the market in some other way. Distributors such as Jameco Electronics have found engaging with hobbyists can lead to business orders down the line.…
I’m privileged to spend my work days engaged in the processor market. As a processor buyer for many years and now as the manager of that commodity for my company, I’ve seen a lot of growth and a lot of change. Fortunately, EPS is giving me the space to offer a frequent update on the…
One of the most successful distributors in the electronics industry once told me something I think about a lot. This distributor, at the time, did not participate in suppliers’ design registration programs because it wanted to put as few barriers between customers and their purchases as possible. This was very unusual. Design registration programs, in…
Outside of corporate management, engineers are the most valued—and best-paid—members of the electronics supply chain. So why do so many customers expect to get engineering services for free from their business partners? The distribution industry for decades has been struggling with this issue. “Giveaways” began with value-added services. Customers that bought components from distributors asked…
Tom Hudak, who recently took the reins of Chicago-based Newark element14, has three goals for the high-service distributor. He wants Newark element14 to be a great company to do business with, invest in, and work for. To meet these objectives, Hudak is putting plans in place to meet specific goals and metrics that will measure the…
Avnet Inc. is moving to transition more of its engineering and supply chain services and functions online as part of a strategic effort to reach more customers, broaden offerings, improve engagement with suppliers, OEMs and other partners, as well as further streamline operating costs.
Ever since the Internet became a factor in the electronics supply chain, companies have been trying to figure out the best use for the web. Distributors in particular had a stake in the process because the Internet was supposedly poised to eliminate the need for a supply chain “middleman.” The channel instead has harnessed the…
One of the most effective means of communication is by means of an illustration. If that illustration contains dimensional data and design characteristics that predict what a future product may look like, then the illustration can be referred to as a concept drawing. A concept drawing does not contain critical parametric or component values because…
The design socket is critical in the electronics industry. Components suppliers who win the stiff rivalry for an OEM design often get not only the sales but significant boasting rights, which can be parlayed into further wins elsewhere. That’s why we all want to know as much as we can about design engineers. Component distributors…