Solid State Supplies has been awarded two supplier awards on the same day

Solid State Supplies has been awarded two supplier awards on the same day: Top Three Embedded EMEA partner from Digi and Top Design Opportunity for an EMEA distributor from Rabbit Semiconductor for its MiniCore product range.

The distributor has been named a Top Three Embedded EMEA Partner by Digi for the second successive year, coming in second place overall. Atlantik Elektronik in Germany was awarded first place. The award was presented at the Digi European Wireless Congress, the company’s annual partner event in Landshut, Germany.

“This award is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our team,” commented John Macmichael, Commercial Director at Solid State Supplies. “To be honoured in successive years is a huge achievement, and since Digi has more than 70 European channel partners I am especially proud.”

Announced the same day, Solid State Supplies Senior Application Engineer Matt Cook won the Top Design Opportunity for an EMEA distributor from Rabbit Semiconductor for its MiniCore product range. Matt has done extensive design-in work for the Rabbit MiniCore range including in networked gaming machines and metering applications. The MiniCore range of microcontroller modules is Rabbit’s smallest and lowest cost embedded solution, and comes with ethernet or WiFi capability in a mini-PCI express form factor. Matt’s prize was a brand new Rockrider 8.1 mountain bike.

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Over 400 new products now available direct-from-stock for next-day-delivery

RS Components, the leading distributor of electronic, electro-mechanical and industrial products, today announced it has added over 400 connectors from Harwin to its interconnection product portfolio. The expanded range offers electronic design engineers a wider choice of the most suitable technologies for their requirements.

The extensive connector range expansion includes the 2.0mm Datamate Series, including J-Tek and L-Tek fixing variants as well as M22 and M40 connectors. The enhanced portfolio is available direct-from-stock in industry-standard packaging, ready for direct insertion into automated production runs. All products are supplied in flexible quantities so customers can order the quantity they need and avoid unnecessary stock-holding costs. Customers can also achieve larger discounts when ordering higher quantities.

Commenting on the launch, Gavin Darling, Northern Europe Sales Manager for Harwin stated: “We are very excited about the further commitment that RS has made to increase its range of Harwin connectors. RS has an established global network, making them the ideal distribution partner for Harwin.”

For RS, Paul Webster, Head of Product Management, Electronics said: “We are delighted to be increasing our Harwin product range, offering a comprehensive selection of products at competitive prices with a market-leading service to electronic engineers and buyers.”

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Hellermann Tyton heatshrink boots now in stock at Aerco

Aerco now holds extensive stock of the Helashrink range of high quality heatshrink boots from Hellermann Tyton that offers a wide selection of many different types to allow the engineer to select an optimised and cost-effective solution to virtually all applications. Versions are available covering a variety of sizes and shapes with different levels of water resistance, fire retardance and environmental protection with operating temperatures ranging from 80 to 200ºC.

Among the products held in stock at Aerco are the 100 and 150 series bottle-shaped boots, the 100 series being thick walled with no rib while the 150 series is ribbed. New versions are also available that use a newly developed epoxy resin adhesive to provide extra levels of protection.

Also supplied are straight plug-and-socket connector terminal casings and branching parts for simple, time-saving insulation of the branch point of a cable where it is split into single wires. Also available are right-angle, VG style shape boots with a rib that can be installed directly on to a connector rear thread and is ideal for use on airborne harnesses to achieve low profile and compact strain relief with high levels of mechanical protection.

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New strategy increases company efficiency and delivers greater value to customers

Avnet Memec today announced a new business strategy which will apply the vast knowledge of its Business Development Managers to directly improving customer engagement within vertical markets.

The new Vertical Market Strategy offers benefits to suppliers and customers; by focusing Avnet-Memec’s specialist resources on solving the issues within specific areas of vertical markets, each Business Development Manager (BDM), will be better positioned to represent all of Avnet-Memec’s suppliers’ solutions to customers with common problems.

“In the past, our Business Development Managers have been focused on specific supplier lines,” said Chris Shipway, UK Sales Director. “This move puts them back in the field, customer facing and responsible for specific vertical markets, in which they have 20+ years of experience.”

By applying the BDMs market and technical knowledge more effectively, customers will see direct and immediate benefits in the form of a more effective exchange of information, helping them identify the right solutions for their current and future projects based on the applicability of specific products to specific markets.

The vertical markets identified by Avnet-Memec’s BDMs cover established UK markets, such as Audio/Video & Broadcast, Military/Aerospace and Industrial Automation, as well as emerging markets including Smart Metering, Solid State Lighting & Information, and Renewable Energy.

Driving demand creation for its suppliers is a key initiative for any distributor, but Avnet-Memec believes it is now crucial to match that need with increased value to its customers, by focusing more strongly on its customers’ marketplace and applying the experience and knowledge of its BDMs more directly to its customers’ issues.

“This represents a subtle change for Avnet-Memec,” continued Shipway: “Our BDMs are now directly responsible for demand creation and meeting their customers’ needs within their vertical markets.”

Shipway believes that more efficient customer engagement is now essential for value-added distributors, due to the time-to-market and time-in-market pressures facing the industry: “By adopting a vertical market strategy, Avnet-Memec’s BDMs, FSEs and FAEs will be better placed to have a more effective exchange of information, opening more customer doors.”

The new strategy will also enable Avnet-Memec to be more selective with new product lines, by having a better understanding of the market conditions and its customers’ business strategies. This will promote further introduction of niche, specialist silicon suppliers who are addressing specific markets within the embedded electronics sector.

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New line perfect complement to Europe’s most extensive power conversion module portfolio

Avnet Abacus today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Power Integrations, the leader in high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, covering the company’s complete portfolio of devices across the whole of Europe.

The new franchise perfectly complements the extensive Avnet Abacus portfolio of power modules, as well as its passive components for power supply applications. Avnet Abacus offers power conversion modules from the top five manufacturers: Emerson, Murata Power Solutions, Ericsson, Lineage and Power-One, as well as a host of niche and specialist vendors.

Commenting, Cor van Dam, Marketing Director, Power at Avnet Abacus, said, “By signing Power Integrations we have added the world’s leading range of power conversion ICs to Europe’s widest selection of power conversion modules. Customers seek the advice of Avnet Abacus power specialists to obtain a solution that is a best fit technically to their current, voltage and space constraints, and meets their commercial and logistical requirements. We are now able to offer a component solution for applications where constraints preclude a standard module.”

Ben Sutherland, Director of Sales, Europe, India and Southeast Asia at Power Integrations, commented: “Avnet Abacus is one of the largest distributors in Europe with excellent logistics and support. Our high-efficiency power ICs fit perfectly with their range of interconnect, passive and electromechanical devices, allowing customers to obtain a complete bill of materials for a switching power supply design based on Power Integrations’ devices, all from one source. Avnet Abacus has the expertise to offer increased support in important markets such as smart metering, EuP-regulated appliances and LED lighting, where Power Integrations already have a significant market share. We believe that our partnership with them has exceptional potential, especially in developing business with innovative medium-sized companies.”

Cor van Dam continued, “Power Integrations enables customers to achieve class-leading energy conversion efficiency with technologies like EcoSmart®. These technologies are supported by some outstanding online design tools that make the highest levels of performance and efficiency easily accessible. “

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