As Electronics Sourcing celebrates 20 years of publishing, I’m having a trip down memory lane, reflecting on how the electronic component distribution industry has evolved and indulging in a little future gazing to boot.
Two decades ago, component distribution was often a transactional, ‘feature and price’ business. I visited plenty of distributors comprising little more than a bank of telephones taking orders, boxes of components and
a dispatch room. By comparison, today’s distributors are a critical element of a global supply chain, providing components, technical expertise, design support, logistics solutions, inventory management and more.
The past 20 years have brought consolidation, digitisation and ever expanding value-added services. Ecommerce platforms have transformed how buyers source parts, while the emergence of real-time inventory visibility has created new standards for speed and transparency.
From the OEM perspective, sourcing strategies have grown in sophistication. Professional purchasers expect more detailed partnerships designed to navigate supply chain disruptions, ensure traceability and support sustainability initiatives. Distributors are now expected to help manage risks, including anticounterfeiting measures and obsolescence management services.
So, what does the next 20 years look like. Where do I start? The ‘elephant in the room’ is AI. Expect AI to nibble around the edges of supply chains over the next two years as the technology matures and legislation catches up. Then plan for fully integrated, blockchain managed, automated, end-to-end purchasing capability.
Whether you believe me or not, one thing is clear, the role of distributors will never stop evolving.
