Value-added service relieve manufacturers

The success of a distributor has for a long time not simply depended on supplying components at competitive prices. In fact, a comprehensive supply chain management understanding is required, which is mapped in various logistics services and additional services. Customers expect supply models, which are tailored to their individual company situation. This includes automatic supply, delivery plan after material requirement planning and order point procedures taking into account agreed batch sizes and the saving of a range profile. For supply-critical components, we recommend customer-individual stocks at the distributor or customer on site as well as a safe and robust supply chain concept, which experiences no or only few disruptions to the supply chain. Unexpected requirement fluctuations and supply shortages, as may arise by the natural disaster in Japan, can therefore be better cushioned. Innovative logistics services have the aim to provide customers with product-synchronous stocks at all times.

Enhanced core services

In addition to sophisticated logistics services, distributors supply further complimentary services. Customer-specific packaging, labelling, disposition and order processing are required as much as development services. As such, distributors can already program, strap, dry and test. The benefit for customers is that both the equipment and the employees of the distributors are always up to date. Customers themselves are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with the high innovation speed. Due to the high level of penetration of electronic components in all areas and the specialisation of the industry, the range of components is increasing, which makes the area unmanageable. After all, manufacturers need to the select their suppliers not only from a technical perspective, but also as regards further important features such as quality requirements and environmental guidelines.

Relocation of interfaces

For distributors, it is a matter of routine business operations to specialise employees and to send them to component manufacturers' comprehensive technical product training courses. In addition, they can focus them on vertical markets like cars, medicine or lighting. This effort is necessary for the core business alone, in order to offer customers top-of-the-range products. It therefore stands to reason that this know-how is provided even more strongly and enhanced with further services.
In summary, the actual novelty in the distribution world is not the invention of new processes, but the relocation of interfaces between the distributor and its customer.