Electrocomponents has made a flying start to its new financial year year reporting continued double-digit revenue growth and improved profitability. In the first quarter like for like revenue growth was 10% driven by a 13% increase in revenues in the Americas and an 11% sales increase in RS Pro, the distributor’s own brand business.
Overcoming the supply shortages affecting numerous electronic components, German distributors reported continued growth during the first quarter of 2018. For the period January to March 2018, the distribution companies organised under the Fachverband Bauelemente Distribution (FBDi e.V.) reported sales of 978m Euros – up 7% compared with Q1/2017.
Electrocomponents Group has continued its progress under CEO Lindsley Ruth’s stewardship posting sparkling full-year figures and snapping up IESA, a UK-based provider of value-added outsourcing services to industrial customers for £88 million.
The European semiconductor industry continues to grow solidly in 2018. According to DMASS, semiconductor sales as reported by the members in Q1/2018 ended at a record 2.28bn Euro, 6.9% over Q1/CY17 and 13% above Q4/CY17.
UK & Ireland component distributors posted sales up 27% in March 2018 compared to February and 6% up year on year. According to Adam Fletcher, chairman of the Electronic Components Supply Network, the Sales by Month “three month moving average” for all electronic components remains in-line with historical trends, suggesting continued growth into the first half of 2018.
Demand for key commodity components like chip capacitors is heavily outstripping supply at the moment. The market is growing, but lead-times are lengthening because demand from the high volume consumer market is soaking up the available capacity. The latest smartphones can include up to 1000 or more of these tiny devices. At the same time, there is increased demand from the automotive industry and the wider industrial market, writes Steve Rawlins, CEO, Anglia Components
A positive sales performance in January has enabled distributors in the UK and Ireland to start 2018 in fine fettle. According to the figures released by the afdec leadership group within the Electronic Components Supply network (ecsn) the consolidated total Monthly Billings in January 2018 leapt 21% when compared to the previous month and increased by 14.5% when compared to January 2017.
The European semiconductor industry ended 2017 on an upbeat note. According to DMASS semiconductor sales as reported its members in Q4/2017 ended with an increase over Q4/2016 of 11.6% at 2.01bn Euro, the highest-ever winter quarter recorded by DMASS. The full year 2017 ended 14.6% higher at 8.5bn Euro, also an all-time record.
Latest sales figures released by the manufacturer authorised distributor (afdec) group within the Electronic Components Supply Network (ecsn) reveal that a slowdown in semiconductor sales prompted a ‘flat’ overall total monthly Billings result in December ’17 compared to the same month 2016, and a 7% decline when compared to November ’17.
The $500bn global semiconductor market is tantalisingly close. That’s the bullish forecast presented by Malcolm Penn CEO of market research company Future Horizons. He is predicting growth a tick over 21% in 2018 taking the market to within a whisker of $500bn, well, $499.9bn to be exact.
