Paul Andrews Jr. did not set out to build a global distribution enterprise. “My first objective was survival,” he half-joked. “I’d been laid off from General Dynamics. I’d worked in manufacturing, procurement, I’d done inventory control, managed production and had experience in sales. My primary goal was to make a living.” In the early 1970s,…
Editor’s note: The most ubiquitous components in any electronics design – interconnects, passives and electromechanical (IP&E) devices – are in the midst of an unprecedented supply shortage. What distinguishes this scarcity from others is the broad base of markets that are desperate for IP&E. OEMs are facing idle production lines while they wait for devices…
Editor’s note: The most ubiquitous components in any electronics design – interconnects, passives and electromechanical (IP&E) devices – are in the midst of an unprecedented supply shortage. What distinguishes this scarcity from others is the broad base of markets that are desperate for IP&E. OEMs are facing idle production lines while they wait for devices…
On the last business day of 2017, TTI Inc. acquired its second semiconductor company, Changnam I.N.T. Ltd. of South Korea. The longtime specialty distributor of interconnect, passive and electromechanical (IP&E) components expanded its nascent semiconductor linecard and its geographic reach in one fell swoop. But TTI’s ambition is not to become a global broadline distributor,…
There’s no short-term relief ahead for electronics manufacturers that are scrambling for components. Tight supplies of capacitors and resistors are expected to last into mid-2018—longer than industry experts expected. The dreaded words “allocation” and “double-ordering” are coming up more frequently, meaning OEMs and EMS providers are facing long-term sourcing challenges. Thick- and thin-film chip resistor…
As Baby Boomers make way for Millennials in the high-tech workforce, a new generation gap is yawning. The population reared in the digital age is engaging with colleagues whose golden rule is face-to-face communication. The current electronics market will test the skills of both generations. The electronics supply chain hasn’t faced a severe components shortage…
TTI, Inc., an interconnect, passive & electromechanical (IP&E) component specialist, is on a new mission to give the market an alternative to buying semiconductors from broadline distributors. As part of this undertaking, TTI recently acquired privately-held Symmetry Electronics, a U.S.-based semiconductor distributor, building on its core principal of specialty distribution. TTI’s family of distributors has…
The first half of 2017 is shaping up as the perfect storm for electronics suppliers as capacity constraints, merger and acquisition, obsolescence and higher-than-expected demand is creating component shortages across the supply chain. The risk of double booking has been cited in at least two research reports, indicating the 2001 inventory glut may be fading…
2017 is a landmark year for Master Electronics. It marks 50 years since Ike Nizam founded the specialty electronics component distributors in a southern California apartment. That’s not all that’s noteworthy about 2017, though. Master Electronics is this year implementing a strategic reinvention campaign to enable it remain nimble and innovative serving small and mid-tier…
Sager 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…