Welcome to the 2015 issue of Leaders in Distribution from Global Purchasing. In this special issue, published annually in December, we compile some of the best stories of the year highlighting distributors and their crucial role in the electronics supply channel. We gathered stories from Distribution Resource, a monthly supplement to Electronic Design, showcasing what some of the leading distributors are doing to expand their businesses and meet the growing demands of design engineers and component buyers at OEM and contract manufacturing firms worldwide.
We begin with our annual Top 50 Electronics Distributors report. Released each May, the Top 50 ranks the largest distributors of electronic components by sales volume. Our goal is to create a comprehensive list of the largest distributors with a presence in the North American market—a list that’s an ever-evolving work in progress. Click here to see last years list of Top 50 distributors. Don’t forget to check back with us in May for the 2016 list.
Another top issue for distributors is the Internet of Things. Distributors of all sizes seek to develop the right product and service mix to meet customers’ IoT needs. At the same time, they strive to keep up their own information arsenal so that they can deliver the expertise customers need in order to develop the best products and applications—and help them quickly get those products to market.
In “The Promise of IoT,” we talk to experts from element14 and the trade group Electronic Components Industry Association for insight on the market potential of the IoT—including hurdles such as privacy and security concerns. For more on how the IoT is altering the supply-chain landscape, visit GlobalPurchasing.com.
Finally, in keeping with our goal to develop a more worldwide perspective on the electronics supply channel, we included a global distribution report on Latin America. As the trend toward regionalized manufacturing gains steam, more manufacturers and distributors are developing or enhancing their presence in Mexico, which also is spurring growth in other Latin American countries. In this report, we talk to distributors as well as a representative from NAPS, an outsourcing and compliance management firm that helps manufacturers build business in Mexico.
Click here to download PDF file of Leaders in Distribution