Taking stock of component distribution

Change and expansion have been the predominant features of the electronic components industry in the past 10 years, and component suppliers have multiplied and changed as much as the components they sell. Even as little as six years ago, manufacturers were willing to sell small quantities of their components, and most customers preferred to purchase from the original suppliers. Today the picture has almost reversed; distributors have become the mainstay of component supply to all except the highest volume users of components.