News & Analysis
2010 top 25 global distributors
5/10/2010 12:00 AM EDT
1 Avnet
Headquarters: Phoenix
Chairman and CEO: Roy Vallee
2009 sales: $16.66 billion
Avnet is the world's largest distributor, based on sales, of electronic components, enterprise computer and storage products and embedded subsystems. The company creates a vital link in the technology supply chain that connects more than 300 of the world's leading electronic component and computer product manufacturers and software developers with a global customer base of more than 100,000 OEMs, electronics manufacturing services providers, original design manufacturers and value-added resellers.
Avnet distributes electronic components, computer products and software as received from its suppliers or with assembly or other value-added by Avnet. Additionally, it provides engineering design, materials management and logistics services, system integration, and configuration and supply-chain services.
Avnet has two primary operating groups: Electronics Marketing (EM) and Technology Solutions (TS). Both operating groups have operations in each of the three major economic regions of the world: the Americas; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Asia-Pacific, comprising Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
2 Arrow
Headquarters: Melville, N.Y.
President and CEO: Michael Long
2009 sales: $14.68 billion
Arrow is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. The company serves more than 800 suppliers and 130,000 OEMs, contract manufacturers and commercial customers worldwide.
Arrow offers a wide spectrum of products and a broad range of services and solutions, including materials planning, design services, programming and assembly services, inventory management and a variety of online supply-chain tools.
Customers include manufacturers of consumer and industrial equipment, (machine tools, factory automation and robotic equipment), telecommunications products, automotive and transportation, aircraft and aerospace equipment, scientific and medical devices and computer and office products. Value-added resellers of enterprise computing solutions are also counted among its customers.
Arrow has about 250 sales facilities and 21 distribution and value-added centers in 53 countries. Through that network, the company provides one of the broadest product offerings in the electronic components and enterprise computing solutions distribution industries and a wide range of value-added services to help customers reduce time-to-market, lower their total cost of ownership, introduce innovative products through demand creation opportunities and enhance their overall competitiveness.
The company has two business segments. It distributes electronic parts through the global components business division and provides enterprise computing solutions to value added resellers through its global enterprise computing solutions business segment. In 2009, the company had $9.8 billion in sales from the components business.
3 WPG Holdings
Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
Chairman CEO: Simon Huang
2009 sales: $5.96 billion
WPG holdings is the No. 1 distributor of components in Asia and ranks third worldwide. And WPG could potentially become the world's leading electronic components distributor by the end of 2010, following its acquisition of fellow Taiwanese distributor Yosun Industrial Corp., according to research firm iSuppli Corp.
The research firm estimates the combined entity had $9.6 billion in electronic parts distribution sales in 2009, beating its two closest com- petitors: Arrow Electronics Inc. and Avnet Inc. "WPG's goal is to become a stronger competitor and to expand market share," said Horse Liu, manager for China research at iSuppli. "WPG will not implement an aggressive integration strategy following this merger and instead will take a more limited approach.
"In the past, WPG achieved its over-all strategic objectives, but it has encountered challenges in achieving synergy when attempting to integrate acquired companies during the past 10 years."
The company was founded in November 2005 and initially focused on serving the Asian market, but it has started expanding operations globally, especially in the United States. Organic expansion fueled WPG's early growth, but it has recently focused on acquisitions to push market consoli- dation. Today it operates five leading semiconductor distributors in Asia: the WPI group, SAC, RichPower, Pernas and AIT.
WPG serves as a franchise partner for more than 200 semiconductor suppliers, including brands such as CSR, Hynix, Infineon, Intel, MediaTek, Micron, NXP, OmniVision, ON Semiconductor, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Skyworks, Texas Instruments and Vishay. The company has more than 30 sales offices around Greater China and the Asia-Pacific region.
4 Future Electronics
Headquarters: Montreal
Chairman CEO: Robert Miller
2009 sales: $3.45 billion
Headquartered in Montreal and operating in 41 countries around the world, Future Electronics is known for the strength of its commercial and technical competencies through all stages of the design/production cycle and for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions.
Over the past year, Future continued to add to the list of component suppliers it supports. The company now represents ZeroG Wireless (a developer of low-power embedded Wi-Fi applications) and CogniVue Corp. (a supplier of programmable image cognition processors).
Other recent additions to Future's supplier list include Israel's Yitran Communications, which provides powerline communications technology, and Roving Networks, a designer of ultralow-power Bluetooth and Wi-Fi solutions based in Los Gatos, Calif.
Future Electronics is globally integrated, with a unified IT infrastructure providing real-time inventory availability and access while enabling full integration of operations, sales and marketing. In addition to its traditional distribution services, Future assists customers with automated materials acquisition and handling, inventory replenishment, kitting and programming.
The company operates a number of business units. Future Lighting Solutions, for example, provides LED lighting knowledge, resources, programs, partners, solutions and logistics support to promote the development of LED products and installations. Future's Advanced Engineering Group supports design engineers and acts as an extension of OEMs' and EMS providers' engineering teams, providing insight into new-product road maps, along with reference designs and a qualified connection to the latest design methodologies.
The company also supports electronics manufacturers through its Supply Chain Solutions division, which offers inventory replenishment and other supply-chain management services.
5 Bell Microproducts
Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
CEO: Donald Bell
2009 sales: $3.02 billion
Bell Microproducts agreed in March to be acquired by Avnet Inc. for $594 million. The company is a value-added distributor of a wide range of high-tech products, services and solutions, including storage systems, servers, software, computer components and peripherals, as well as maintenance and professional services. It is one of the world's largest storage-centric value-added distributors.
Bell Micro serves a diverse set of customers, including OEMs, commercial and value-added resellers and system builders. It markets and distributes more than 140 brand-name product lines, including its own Rorke Data, TotalTec and ProSys brands, to customers in the Americas and Europe. In addition, the company's Hammer storage division offers a comprehensive branded line of storage solutions for the consumer market and the small- and midsized-business markets.
The company also offers component-level products, including disk, tape and optical drives; processors; memory; motherboard and computer I/O products; flat-panel displays and related products; and other data storage and custom-configured computer products. Bell Micro also provides value-added services, such as system design, integration, installation, maintenance and other consulting services. Its supply-chain service offerings include consignment, bonding and end-of-life management programs.
At the system level, it offers a variety of data storage systems, including direct-attached storage, network-attached storage and storage area network systems; servers and other computer platforms; and tape drive systems, tape libraries and related software.
6 TTI/Mouser
Headquarters: Fort Worth, Texas
CEO: Paul Andrews Jr.
2009 sales: $1.30 billion
TTI, which in 2007 was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway, is one of the top authorized distributors specializing in passive, connector, electromechanical and discrete components. The company sells to OEMs in the industrial, military, aerospace and consumer electronics markets worldwide.
TTI's products include resistors, capacitors, connectors, discretes, potentiometers, trimmers, magnetic and circuit protection components, wire and cable, and application tools. The company employs more than 2,000 people at 60 locations in North America, Europe and Asia.
TTI unit Mouser Electronics is one of the industry's fastest-growing catalog distributors. It describes itself as "focused on design engineers and buyers demanding small to medium quantities of the latest products."
The company looks to provide a time-to-market advantage for its customers through specialty catalog products. It said it updates its lineup continually "to ensure the newest products are added and end-of-life products are removed from the catalog." Approximately 39 percent of Mouser's revenue is from online sales.
7 Premier Farnell
Headquarters: London
President and CEO: Harriet Green
2009 sales (Fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2010): $1.27 billion
Premier Farnell supports millions of engineers and purchasing professionals globally through its component distribution services as well as by offering design assistance. It markets and distributes a comprehensive range of products and services throughout Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, with operations in 24 countries and business in more than 100.
The company has approximately 4,100 employees worldwide and serves a global customer base of more than 2 million customers. Premier Farnell stocks more than 400,000 electronic products, has access to 4 million more and represents 3,500 manufacturer brands, including major semicon-ductor vendors.
The distributor's multichannel approach includes transactional Web sites, contact centers, a field sales force, trade counters, a branch net- work, catalogs and direct mail. Companies within the Premier Farnell group include Akron Brass, CPC, Farnell, Farnell-Newark, MCM, Newark, Premier Electronics and TPC Wire & Cable.
8 Electrocomponents
Headquarters: Oxford, U.K.
Group CEO: Ian Mason
2009 sales: $1.26 billion
Electrocomponents is focused on the distribution of electronic components as well as electrical and industrial supplies. It has operations in 27 countries worldwide and trades as RS in the United Kingdom, most of Europe and Asia; Radiospares in France; Radionics in the Republic of Ireland; and Allied Electronics in North America. Allied's sales in 2009 dropped to $209 million from $340 million in 2008.
Electrocomponents has more than 1.6 million customers worldwide and its 5,700 employees support the distribution of 450,000 product.
The company sells via catalogs, e-commerce and trade counters. More than 65 percent of its business comes from the international market.
In 2008, Electrocomponents began to strengthen its position outside the United Kingdom by focusing on opportunities in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The company is also focused on increasing sales through the Web and said in a statement that, "in keeping with the group's strategy, resources have been reallocated from sales to marketing and from offline to online activities."
The company said North America e-commerce sales jumped "nearly 45 percent" in 2009 and added that it plans to "exploit both our extensive local sales office presence and supplier relationships to drive sales."
9 Digi-Key
Headquarters: Thief River Falls, Minn.
President: Mark Larson
2009 sales: $926.9 million
Online and print catalog distributor Digi-Key has grown mainly through organic expansion, clocking an annual compounded growth rate of approximately 22 percent per year over more than 20 years, according to president Mark Larson.
The company has no outside sales force and serves all of its customers from its headquarters in Thief river Falls, Minn. Digi-Key ships electronic components to more than 140 countries and stocks more than 300,000 products.
The company has grown by adding supplier lines to its operations, further improving its ability to service a growing customer base, according to Larson. "Service is what differentiates Digi-Key from other electronic component distributors," he said in a statement. "Superior service and breadth and quality of product offered are key factors in driving Digi-Key's growth internationally."
In 2009, Digi-Key generated $400 million of its sales from semiconductors, $219 million from passives, $125 million from connector products and almost $80 million from electromechanical components.
More than two-thirds, or 71 percent, of the company's sales came from online customers, according to Digi-Key.
10 Nu Horizons Electronics Inc.
Headquarters: Melville, N.Y.
Chairman and CEO (2009): Arthur Nadata
2009 sales: $641 million
After 28 years as CEO of the company, Arthur Nadata, a founding member of Nu Horizons Inc., handed over executive control of the component distributor to Martin Kent on May 3.
Kent was previously CEO of Abacus Group Plc, a European distributor acquired last year by Avnet Inc. "We are delighted to bring someone of Martin's experience and ability on as CEO to lead Nu Horizons," Nadata, now nonexecutive chairman, said in a statement. "We believe that his prior industry experience as CEO of Abacus Group will be invaluable in running Nu Horizons. We were impressed with Martin's success in growing Abacus Group-until its acquisition in January 2009-both organically and through acquisitions in Europe, to a company with approximately $500 million in sales for [its] fiscal year ended September 30, 2008."
Nu Horizons is focused on the distribution of advanced electronic components to OEMs and EMS providers, servicing them from sales locations in 54 centers worldwide. The company generated about 50 percent of its 2009 sales from contract manufacturers. Sales to customers in North America in 2009 were $372 million, or 58 percent of total revenue. Asia accounted for 31 percent of sales, while Europe represented about 11 percent, according to Nu Horizon.
The company generates more than 80 percent of its sales from semiconductors and only 2 percent from the Web. Nu Horizon has been expanding worldwide and says it has partnered with best-in-class component suppliers "to provide in-depth product development, custom logistics and life cycle services to customers."
11 Richardson Electronics
Headquarters: La Fox, Ill.
Chairman, president and CEO:
Edward J. Richardson
2009 sales: $461.3 million (EE Times estimate)
Richardson Electronics is a global provider of engineered solutions and electronic components to the RF, wireless and power conversion, electron device, and display systems markets. The solutions include products manufactured or modified by the company and products manufactured to its specifications by independent manufacturers under Richardson's private labels.
The company says it offers solutions and value through design-in support, systems integration, prototype design and manufacturing, testing and logistics for customers' end products. Design-in support includes component modifications or the identification of lower-cost product alternatives or complementary products.
Richardson's operation is organized under three product and services divisions. The RF, wireless and power division serves the communications infrastructure and power-conversion markets. The electron device unit serves customers in the steel, automotive, plastics, broadcast and semiconductor manufacturing markets.
Through its Canvys division, Richardson offers integrated display products, systems and digital signage solutions to companies in the financial, enterprise, health care and industrial markets.
12 DAC Group
"www.dac-group.com www.heilind.com
Headquarters: Wilmington, Mass.
President and CEO: Bob Clapp
2009 sales: $387.5 million
DAC Group is a specialty components distributor focused on the interconnect, electromechanical and fastener markets in North America, with expansion plans for other regions.
Based in Wilmington, Mass., DAC includes the interconnect division (Heilind Electronics) and the hardware/fastener division (DB Roberts). Heilind specializes in interconnect, electromechanical, and wire and cable products; DB Roberts is a hardware/fastener specialist.
The company has concentrated on expanding its North American presence as well as providing value-added services. DAC group has 14 local warehouses to stock the product close to the customer and carries extensive regional inventory in all of the leading manufacturers from 3M, FCI, Hirose, JAE, Lemo, Molex, Omron, Panduit, Samtec and Tyco Electronics (AMP connectors and Raychem components). It also stocks Accuride, Atlas, Heli-Coil, Heyco, PEM Brand fasteners, POP Rivets, RAF Electronic Hardware, Richco, Shercon and Southco.
The company said customers can tap into a host of services, including assembly for circular connectors, D-subs, switches and relays; kitting for components; parts modification, such as dyeing and custom marking as well as custom packaging; bar coding; and quality inspections. Another differentiated service is an inventory material-replenishment system that offers several auto-replenishment solutions.
DAC has expanded over the past two decades through internal growth and acquisitions. Bowing to the movement of manufacturing outside of North America, it is laying international expansion plans for Asia-Pacific and Europe-a move that it says will allow it to provide seamless supply-chain services across several continents.
In 2009, DAC generated about 75 percent, or $288.7 million, of its sales from the interconnects division and the remainder, or $98.8 million, from electromechanical components.
13 Excelpoint Technology Ltd.
Headquarters: Singapore
Chairman and CEO: Albert Phuay
2009 sales: $356.9 million
Established in 1987, Excelpoint is a total-solutions provider of components, engineering designs and supply chain services to OEMs, original design manufacturers and electronics manufacturing service providers. All of its sales in 2009 were generated in Asia.
Excelpoint executives said the company has been working closely with customers to identify new trends and technologies, and to create and test new technical features that will complement customers' products.
The company has three R&D centers supported by a team of engineers to create solutions that help customers get to market quickly and efficiently. The solutions and reference designs created by Excelpoint are found in applications such as industrial instrumentation, wireless communications and consumer electronics equipment.
Excelpoint has facilities and offices in more than 20 cities across the Asia-Pacific region, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, India, Korea, the Philippines and Australia. Listed on the Main Board of Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd., the company employs close to 500.
14 Advanced MP
Headquarters: San Clemente, Calif.
President: Homayoun (Homey) Shorooghi
2009 sales: $218.9 million (EE Times estimate)
Last October, Advanced MP opened a branch office in Shenzhen, China, as part of its Asia-Pacific expansion. The company made the move because of the growing presence of high-tech manufacturers in what has become one of China's faster-growing cities.
"Our continued expansion in China is a direct response to the demand of a growing number of regional companies that are increasingly paying more attention to quality, while still watching over costs," said Kevin Wang, Advanced MP's sales director for Asia. Wang was recently promoted to the new position and is based in the distributor's Hong Kong office.
Company executives said Advanced MP first entered the China market 10 years ago and that it prides itself on offering full-service capabilities to customers. The company offers component distribution, supply-chain management and customized inventory management solutions to OEM and EMS customers worldwide.
Founded in 1978, Advanced MP has expanded globally and opened offices and stocking warehouses throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. The company reported that in January, it relocated its Hong Kong sales office and warehouse to a bigger site in anticipation of increasing customer demand and growth in its business development throughout Asia.
15 Sager Electronics
Headquarters: Middleborough, Mass.
President and CEO: Raymond Norton III
2009 sales: $188.2 million
(EE Times estimate)
Sager Electronics is unique in that it is a 30 percent employee-owned company that has served the high-tech manufacturing industry for decades, focusing on precision products as well as the interconnect, passive and electromechanical markets.
The distributor of switches, connectors, relays, passives and power products from manufacturers worldwide says it has been steadily growing its product line card. In May 2007, Sager signed a distribution deal with Anderson Power Products, a manufacturer of high-power electrical interconnects and accessories. Anderson's connectors offer a variety of contact options.
Two months later came a distribution agreement with Lemo USA Inc., a manufacturer of precision custom connection solutions. Lemo's push-pull connectors are found in industrial control, medical, telecommunications, test and measurement, and audio/video apps. At the time of the announcement, Faris Aruri, vice president corporate marketing at Sager Electronics, said Lemo's connectors would provide solutions for Sager customers in the medical, military, industrial control and communications markets.
Sager has a network of sales representatives in all major U.S. and Canadian markets, and it has been steadily growing its Canadian business by strengthening the Toronto service center and aligning its supply chain with Canadian suppliers' operations. The company recently expanded its presence in Montreal and Ottawa.
16 A.E. Petsche
Headquarters: Arlington, Texas
CEO: Glenn Davidson
2009 sales: $200 million (EE Times estimate)
In November, Arrow Electronics Inc. announced it had agreed to buy A.E. Petsche to gain access to the specialty wire, cable and harness management solutions company's customers in the aerospace and defense markets. A.E. Petsche had estimated its 2008 sales at approximately $220 million. The transaction closed at the end of 2009.
"The combination of A.E. Petsche's customer base and highly experienced sales professionals with Arrow's product offerings will accelerate the growth of our components business in the aerospace and defense markets," Peter Kong, president of Arrow Global Components, said in a statement a the time.
Glenn Davidson, CEO of A.E. Petsche, said the company would gain "access to Arrow's abundant resources and broad customer base, which will create significant opportunities for our organizations."
A.E. Petsche has benefited in recent years from the sharp ramp in military spending globally and particularly in the United States. The company said it has been recognized over the years by customers such as Boeing and United Technologies for its work supporting their operations.
In 2008, A.E. Petsche opened a value-added connector assembly plant at its Texas headquarters, adding capacity to ship up to 10,000 military/aerospace connectors per day.
The company distributes cable harnesses, wire identification systems and cable management products. It also designs, assembles and distributes custom cable and wire systems, and it offers such other services as bar coding, custom packaging and wire stripping.
A.E. Petsche operates 20 sales offices and distribution centers in Europe and North America. The company has about 250 employees.
17 PEI-Genesis
Headquarters: Philadelphia
President and COO: Russel Dorwart
2009 sales: $145.2 million (EE Times estimate)
PEI-Genesis is a connector and power supply specialist. In addition to its regular distribution services, it offers connector assembly services and prides itself on being the "the largest ITT Cannon connector distributor in the world" and the "largest Amphenol industrial distributor.
The privately owned company has been "in business since 1946,"president and chief operating officer Russel Dorwart said in a statement. PEI-Genesis says it has a dominant position in the connector market for its largest component suppliers. The company has expanded some of its manufacturing services in the past year, including the addition of a plant in Canada.
While order sizes for its services can often be small, varying from five to 10 pieces, the company says it strives to deliver products speedily to customers.
"Rapid delivery has other powerful benefits for the customer and for PEI-Genesis," the company said in a statement. "When a customer wants guaranteed supply they may enter into various forms of bonded stock or even consignment deals, where the customer holds finished goods in an attempt to ensure a reliable source of supply."
The company said it has developed a system that allows it to keep avoid transferring the cost of warehousing inventory to customers, helping to reduce product costs. "By bonding components instead of finished goods, we give customers the ability to change the mix of finished parts," Dorwart said. "Since there are no finished goods, changes in customer usage patterns rarely create excess inventory.
"Our speed lowers the costs and risk for everyone in the supply chain."
18 Jaco Electronics
Headquarters: Hauppauge, N.Y.
President and CEO: Joel Girsky
2009 sales: $124.1 million
After selling some assets of its components distribution business late in 2008, Jaco Electronics morphed into a distributor of display and embedded computer solutions.
As the industry changed over the years, it had become more difficult for Jaco to compete with bigger rivals in general components distribution, according to chairman, president and CEO Joel Girsky. The shift in electronics manufacturing to Asia also hurt midsize distributors like Jaco, Girsky said.
By specializing in displays, the company expects to remain relevant in the electronics supply chain, he said.
Products currently carried by Jaco include active-matrix TFTs, backlight enhancement components, cable assemblies, graphics modules, passive color LCDs, touchscreens and controllers, organic LED displays, inverters, display controllers and desktop monitors.
Jaco also offers assembly services for companies seeking assistance with display-based systems.
19 Dependable Component Supply
Headquarters: Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Group CEO: Shawn P. Ryan
2009 sales: $120.1 million (EE Times estimate)
Dependable Component Supply Corp. distributes a wide range of electronic components, including audio products, capacitors, connectors, oscillators, discrete semiconductors and integrated circuits. The company also offers an array of services, including in-plant stores that provide on-site personnel, warehousing and materials management to meet customers' production and engineering requirements.
Dependable further provides an automated inventory-replenishment system for efficient materials and inventory management; logistics and international shipping documentation; custom labeling to meet bar-coding requirements; and customized kitting solutions.
20 Master Distributors
Headquarters: Santa Monica, Calif.
President and CEO: Ike Nizam
2009 sales: $107.7 million
Master Distributors generates almost 90 percent of its sales in North America; Europe and Asia roughly split the remainder. The company has some 369,000 electronic components in stock.
While Master Distributors' line card complements its customers' requirements, the need for value-added services is growing, according to executives at the distributor. Currently, the company performs several such services, including connector assembly, terminal-block and switch assembly, bar coding and custom packaging.
Master Distributors ships electronic components to Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
21 Powell Electronics
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Headquarters: Swedesboro, N.J.
President and CEO:
Ernest A. Schilling Sr.
2009 sales: $90.3 million (EE Times estimate)
Powell Electronics is a specialized distributor of electronic connectors, switches and sensors for harsh environments, serving customers in the energy, heavy-equipment and factory-floor automation industries as well as the military sector. The company provides value-added services, such as connector assembly and parts customization, as well as supply-chain and logistics services.
Since relocating to a state-of-the-art, 77,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehousing facility in Swedesboro, N.J., in mid-2006, Powell has consolidated and improved its business operations. And after installing SAP enterprise software, it is better able to offer supply-chain services for its customers, executives said.
While many companies have set their eyes on the Asia-Pacific, European and Latin American markets, Powell executives said they have chosen to maintain their focus on North American OEMs in the military, energy and transportation industries. Currently, the company operates out of nine locations in the United States.
22 Electro Sonic
Headquarters: Toronto
President: Eric Taylor
2009 sales: $89.4 million (EE Times estimate)
One of Canada's largest full-service electronic component distributors, Electro Sonic stocks a complete range of components from more than 180 manufacturers in an 80,000-square-foot facility designed to handle the more than 650,000 shipments the company said it processes annually.
Among the services the company offers are kanban just-in-time delivery, release as requested, scheduled orders, blanket orders and kitting of parts to customer specifications.
Additionally, Electro Sonic says it offers customers the ability to set up separate database systems. That service, in turn, lets individual Electro Sonic customers use their own part numbers when ordering components.
In addition to its OEM sales division, Electro Sonic operates an MRO sales division, geared toward accelerated delivery and service at competitive prices to the maintenance, repair and overhaul segment of the industrial market, and an educational sales division.
23 Flame Enterprises Inc.
Headquarters: Chatsworth, Calif.
President: Mike Epstein
2009 sales: $81 million
Flame Enterprises is a specialized distributor of electromechanical parts serving the military and aerospace industry in North America, Europe and Asia, including Japan. The company said it updates product offerings constantly but asserted its focus will "always be electromechanical products," including relays, relay sockets, circuit breakers, switches and indicators.
Flame Enterprises said it also offers inventory management services to customers, "allowing them to complete their projects on time and removing the uncertainty that comes with manufacturers' lead times."
In 2009, the company generated 70 percent of its sales in North America, 15 percent in Europe and 15 percent in Asia, including Japan.
24 Bisco Industries
Headquarters: Anaheim, Calif.
CEO: Glen Ceiley
2009 sales: $79.5 million (EE Times estimate)
Bisco Industries Inc. distributes electronic components and fasteners to customers in the aerospace, medical, telecommunications, computer, networking and fabrication industries. In addition to its distribution network, Bisco offers various value-added services, including an auto-replenishment program that helps customers move parts to the production floor as they are needed.
The distributor and its customers monitor stock levels through a file-sharing or bar-coding system, according to Bisco. The company also designs and implements inventory-management services, which can work in tandem with auto-replenishment or can function as a standalone system.
Additionally, Bisco provides cable assembly, parts modification and special labeling and packaging services.
Bisco carries more than 230 product lines and operates its distribution channel out of 37 locations in the United States and Canada. The company says its locations enable it to offers customers personalized service.
Meanwhile, Bisco executives said the company is considering expansion plans for Mexico and the European markets.
25 Wes-Garde Components Group
Headquarters: Hartford, Conn.
President and CEO: Wesley Sorenson
2009 sales: $77.1 million (EE Times estimate)
Founded about 30 years ago as a specialty distributor, Wes-Garde Components Group has relied on that strategy ever since to expand and solidify its business in North America, even as general-service competitors failed or were acquired as the market consolidated.
Today, Wes-Garde distributes products for more than 85 franchised manufacturers. The company has 12 locations in the United State and Canada, and it recently expanded into the United Kingdom.
Executives at the company said Wes-Garde maintains its competitive edge by focusing on the provision of electromechanical products and services to customers in the auto- motive, marine, medical, telecom- munications, industrial and food equipment industries.
Methodology
EE Times conducts an annual survey of North American engineering, supply chain, procurement and electronics industry professionals to determine their use of and preferences for component distributors. The 2010 survey was conducted for five categories of products: semiconductors, connectors and interconnects, passive components, electromechanical devices and power devices.
Respondents were EE Times Group subscribers with engineering, procurement and/or business responsibilities who buy, design or approve the purchase of electronic components, equipment or services through distributors.
The survey was conducted via the Web between Feb. 23 and April 2, 2010.
Please contact Bob Dumas (bob.dumas@ubm.com) for the full results or to participate in future surveys.
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