Avnet EMEA, the regional business organisation of Avnet Inc., is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its ‘speedboat’ model, which is the term used by Avnet to describe how its individual distribution companies do business. Essentially, the Avnet business units operate from day to day upon an independent basis, while benefiting from Avnet’s robust financial and logistical corporate structure.
The speedboat model is so called because it comprises a series of smaller entities that can deliver a faster and more agile approach to the market than a much larger but slower moving vehicle such as a super tanker. Overall, the model has enabled Avnet to drive demand creation and vertical segment support and to embrace market changes quickly and effectively.
The new millennium ended a decade that had seen massive global expansion for Avnet in Europe, with the acquisition of about 20 distribution companies from the acquisition of Access Electronics in 1991 to the EBV Group in 2000 – growing the parent company to almost $3 billion in revenues. This consolidation of small- and medium-sized distributors into one global organisation was an important strategic move to create partnerships with global suppliers and service large customers.
Avnet’s speedboat era began in 2001 with semiconductor specialists EBV Elektronik, WBC and Silica, in addition to Avnet Time for interconnect, power and electromechanical (IP&E) devices and Avnet IMS for supply-chain services and solutions. This was followed by the acquisition of the Memec group in 2005 and the Abacus group in 2008, further strengthening semiconductor and IP&E; fields, respectively and then MSC Technologies in 2014 to help build the company’s reach into embedded boards, displays and systems solutions. Various incorporations of the acquisitions have resulted in the Avnet EMEA business units we see today, including EBV Elektronik, Avnet Silica and Avnet Abacus.
“Looking forward, we foresee a doubling of the EMEA market in the next 10 years, partially driven by new technologies such as IoT, AI and highly integrated embedded products. However, the introduction of new technologies will only be successful if you fully understand their benefits in a specific use case, which is where our experts in the field will make the difference for customers,” said Mario Orlandi, president of Avnet EMEA, Global IoT and Avnet Integrated.
Slobodan Puljarevic, president EMEA, Global Design Chain & Supplier Management, added: “There is also little doubt the Avnet speedboat model will evolve over time with manufacturer consolidations and new dynamics from the market. Perhaps it will become ‘Speedboat 2.0’ – whatever is required to enable us to continue to deliver a world-class level of demand creation, supply chain service and whatever else local and global customers may need over the next two decades and beyond.”
| Tel: | +27 10 447 0180 |
| Email: | avnet-abacus-sales-southafrica@avnet.eu |
| www: | www.avnet.com/wps/portal/abacus |
| Articles: | More information and articles about Avnet Abacus |
| Tel: | +27 11 319 8600 |
| Email: | avnet-silica-sales-southafrica@avnet.eu |
| www: | www.avnet.com/wps/portal/silica |
| Articles: | More information and articles about Avnet Silica |
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