December 30, 2013 
Editor's Note 

 

Looking back at this year's top stories in the IP&E market, EPS readers were most interested in how Koch Industries' acquisition of Molex will impact one of the industry's leading interconnect companies. Bolaji Ojo, editor in chief, provides his insight into why Molex will be driven to outperform the market in Molex Will Change Under Koch But How Much? Also ranked as a top read story for 2013 is Bolaji's analysis of the Molex acquisition. Ranked at number 11, this article tied with a profile about Ametherm, a U.S. manufacturer of thermistors and other circuit protection devices. Click here for the top 10 list of 2013.

 

In the distribution world, Barbara Jorgensen, managing editor, shows us once again that expansion into China is far from over as PEI-Genesis sets its sights on this low-cost region.

 

Buyers should keep an eye on lead times for several IP&E components in the distribution channel heading into 2014. Avnet reports that lead times are stretching for some products such as commercial EM products, while there are signs of lead-time extensions for some passive components including capacitors, resistors, and inductors. Check out the latest lead-time trends here.

 

If you're searching for IP&E components, and want to buy through the distribution channel, EPS has added a new Distributor Inventory Search tool that allows you to search by part number, distributor or manufacturer.

 

We would like to thank our readers and sponsors for a great launch in 2013, and look forward to our continuing relationships in 2014! We wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

 

We would like to hear from you in 2014! If you have a story idea, let us know. Interested in a specific topic, please contact us. You can reach me at gina.roos@epsnewsonline.com.

 

Gina Roos

Executive editor

Electronics Purchasing Strategies

gina.roos@epsnewsonline.com 

 
Featured Articles 
Lytica

Molex Will Change Under Koch But How Much?

Don't hold your breath if you believe Molex Inc. will not change at all or only superficially following its acquisition by Koch Industries Inc. The new master is in the house and more than the furniture will be shifted around. Koch targeted Molex because it sees an opportunity to improve operational performance, jack up sales and squeeze more profits out of the company. It will do whatever it sees necessary to achieve these goals, including reorganization, management reshuffle, further acquisitions and brand extension into new markets.

 

   

  

Ametherm Thrives in Nevada

Ametherm, a U.S. manufacturer of thermistors and other electronic components for circuit protection, has doubled the size of its manufacturing plant with the purchase of a 36,000-square-foot facility in Carson City to meet increased demand. The privately-held company manufactures all of its circuit protection devices at the new facility, which now serves as its new headquarters, and a smaller plant in Carson City. Ametherm expects to hire about 10 to 15 new employees as a result of the expansion. 

Continue reading

 

EPS' December Hot Products

This month's top product picks are all related to efficiency. These products, ranging from MOSFETs to transceivers, deliver energy, power or system efficiency, and in some cases, significant power savings across several industries. In addition, many of these devices are housed in small packages to save board space. Continue reading

 

PEI-Genesis Prepares for Expansion Into China

The electronics industry's expansion into China is far from complete. Companies that did not join the mass migration to the low -cost region in its initial phases have kept a close eye on the market. One of those companies is highly-specialized distributor PEI-Genesis Inc., which has decided it's time to look at China from the inside. Continue reading

 

 
News 

Top 10 IP&E Articles in 2013

EPS readers were most interested in learning more about what's happening at Molex after the acquisition by Koch Industries. Component manufacturers hold a lot of interest for our readers with five out of the top ten most read articles about some of the industry's biggest component suppliers. Other hot topics included supply chain strategies, Avnet's bigger role in the IP&E market, and sensors. Continue reading

Component Trends: Movement in Leadtimes & Pricing

In the IP&E market, lead times in commercial EM products are moving from stock to 19 weeks. Lead times are being impacted by the U.S. holidays and the upcoming Chinese New Year, Avnet reports. In commercial passives, lead times are mainly stable but there have been signs of lead time extensions. Areas of increase include film caps, aluminum electrolytic, inductors and resistor chips. Continue reading 

Suppliers Eye IoT

Is the Internet of things (IoT) the next big thing? Clearly, it's on the radar screen for many players in the electronic components industry. And it should be based on some of the projected market size numbers from market research providers. Gartner, for example, identifies IoT as one of the top 10 tech trends for 2014, and pegs the market size at 26 billion units installed in 2020, up from 0.9 billion in 2009. Frost & Sullivan also believes that there will be an "explosion of IoT activity" over the next few years driven by low-cost sensors. Continue reading 

 

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