Heard in the Channel: Arrow, TTI on the acquisition trail

Sept. 5, 2012
Arrow Electronics expands EAD business with two key purchases; TTI adds connector system specialist in Asia

Electronics distributors continue to grow through acquisition, with Arrow Electronics and TTI, Inc. each making strategic buys recently. Arrow added to its electronics asset disposition (EAD) business with the purchase of Global Link Technology and Redemtech, companies that provide data removal, data security, refurbishing and electronics recycling services. The moves expand Arrow’s growing EAD services business.

Colorado-based  Global Link has 30 employees and strengthens Arrow’s business in the Rocky Mountain region. Redemtech was a wholly owned subsidiary of Micro Electronics Inc. and employs 400 people in Ohio, Nevada and Virginia. 

Berkshire Hathaway company TTI expanded its presence in Asia with the purchase of Shanghai-based NPCS Autotronics Ltd., a specialty distributor of connector products for transportation markets. The move allows TTI to provide even more services to transportation customers and suppliers in the region, said Gene Conahan, president of TTI Europe and Asia.

TTI will establish a new branch in Shanghai led by NPCS executive Li-Wei Chen. Chen and his 14 NPCS associates will serve as the cornerstone of TTI’s Transportation Business Unit in Asia.

“I said earlier in the year that I anticipated some of our best days for TTI Asia were just ahead of us; today is one of those days,” Paul Andrews, TTI founder and chief executive officer, said in announcing the deal. “Today I say welcome to the connector system specialists of NPCS, we’re pleased to have you as part of the TTI and Berkshire Hathaway family.”

More News

In other news:

  • TTIcontinued season three of its popular video series The Specialist with the introduction of a new superhero: Agent Phoenix Contact. The character builds on TTI’s relationship with connector technology specialist Phoenix Contact.
     
  • Mouser Electronics is building its brand in Asia with the newly announced sponsorship of Chinese auto racing sensation Ho-Pin Tung in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. The marketing initiative parallels Mouser’s efforts to expand market share in China and offers “a unique platform to communicate the message of high-performance and speed-to-market for [our] supplier partners and engineering customers,” Mouser said. Mouser was also recently named one of China’s “Top 10 Distinguished Distributors for 2012” by Chinese e-commerce provider hc360.com.
     
  • Distributor TJR Global recently completed an interim ISO 9001:2008 audit, which included review and enhancement of its quality manual and a focus on process improvement at its Tampa, Florida fulfillment center.
     
  • Switch manufacturer NKK Switches announced the promotion of Marty Arch to national sales manager for North America. She is responsible for the entire sales and customer service organization, as well as growing and strengthening the company’s distribution and sales channel partnerships.

Other companies were making headlines with new distribution agreements:

  • Arrow Electronics signed a global distribution agreement with Intematix Corp. to provide ChromaLit remote phosphor components for high-quality LED lighting.
  • Avnet Embedded, a division of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, expanded its distribution agreement with OCZ Technology Group Inc. to include Latin America and the Caribbean. Avnet now delivers OCZ solid-state drive products to customers in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
  • Connector distributor BTC Electronic Components signed a new agreement to stock Emerson Network Power Connectivity Solutions’ Trompeter product line.
  • Digi-Key announced a new global distribution agreement with Touch Revolution, maker of capacitive touch products such as displays, sub-systems, monitors and system integrators.
  • Future Electronics expanded its distribution agreement with Microchip Technology, Inc. to include all of the products from Microchip’s recent SMSC acquisition, which includes analog/mixed signal and wireless products.
  • Mouser Electronics signed a global distribution agreement with Integrated Device Technology, designer and maker of high-performance analog, mixed-signal and power management semiconductors. Mouser also announced the expansion of its BeagleBone Cape selection to include a 3.1MP Camera Cape, Audio Cape, DVID-02 Cape, Weather Cape, and a 4.3-in. TFT LCD Cape, as well as the addition of Texas Instruments’ line of TI Simple Switcher Devices.
  • TTI announced the expansion of its Murata franchise to include Murata Power Solutions.

Events

Don’t miss these upcoming industry events:

ProcureCon 2012
October 15-17, 2012
Atlanta

Renesas DevCon 2012
Oct. 22-25
Anaheim, Calif.

ECIA Executive Conference
October 28-30, 2012
Chicago

Conflict Minerals: Meeting Regulatory & Customer Requirements
Sponsored by IPC, Association Connecting Electronics Industries
San Francisco
November 1, 2012

SAE 2012 Counterfeit Parts Avoidance Symposium
Sponsored by SAE and TTI, Inc.
November 2, 2012
Phoenix

Electronica 2012
November 13-16, 2012
Munich

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About the Author

Victoria Fraza Kickham | Distribution Editor

Victoria Kickham is the distribution editor for Electronic Design magazine, SourceESB and GlobalPurchasing.com, where she covers issues related to the electronics supply chain. Victoria started out as a general assignment reporter for several Boston-area newspapers before joining Industrial Distribution magazine, where she spent 14 years covering industrial markets. She served as ID’s managing editor from 2000 to 2010. Victoria has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in English from Northeastern University.