Established in the year 1964, Mouser Electronics, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an award-winning, authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor focused on rapid New Product Introductions from its manufacturing partners for electronic design engineers and buyers.
Mouser is a worldwide authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for more than 800 leading manufacturers. It specializes in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies. Its extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives and electromechanical components.
The global distributor’s website, Mouser.com, is available in multiple languages and currencies and features more than 5 million products from over 800 manufacturers. Mouser offers 27 support locations around the world to provide best-in-class customer service and ships globally to over 630,000 customers in 223 countries/territories from its 750,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility south of Dallas, Texas.
Mouser continually adds new manufacturers, giving its customers the widest assortment in the industry. Its focus on the newest products and technologies resonates with engineers worldwide.We are expanding our distribution facilities and capabilities at our corporate headquarters to meet global demand.
With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser strives to empower innovation among design engineers and buyers by delivering advanced technologies.
The following excerpt showcases how they have been doing it.
Please elaborate on the components and services Mouser Electronics provides.
At every level we put the needs of our customers first. We make it a priority to stock the newest products. This provides our customers, particularly design engineers, an edge by avoiding costly redesigns, speeding their time-to-market and providing a longer lifecycle. Mouser is the industry’s New Product Introduction leader. The NPI focus is a key driver for our business and sets us apart in the industry.
We would like to know more about the key personality (CEO/Director/Founder) aiding the progress of Mouser Electronics. Please elaborate his/her journey.
Mark Burr-Lonnon, Senior Vice President of Global Service & EMEA and APAC Business, helps guide Mouser Electronics’ global service strategy as well as day-to-day international efforts. In 2008, Burr-Lonnon transitioned over to Mouser from its parent company, TTI, Inc.
Under his and Glenn Smith’s shared global vision and direction, Mouser has quickly grown from a small, U.S. electronics distributor into a global player focused on serving the unique needs of design engineers and buyers worldwide. In addition to planning, directing and coordinating Mouser’s global growth and expansion activities, Burr-Lonnon provides a leadership role to his multicultural global management team. Furthermore, he takes an active role in cultivating relationships with current and potential electronic component manufacturers, top industry organizations, tradeshows, and media relations. Plus, he is instrumental in ensuring Mouser’s manufacturer base and product portfolio are in alignment with supplying the divergent global demands of design engineers and buyers across Europe, Asia-Pacific and other strategic world markets, complementing Mouser’s global product strategy.
Today, Mouser has 23 Customer Service Centers strategically positioned around the globe, providing local language, currency and same time-zone support. In addition, the website has been expanded to support 17 different languages and 27 international currencies. Now, Mouser ships globally to over 600,000 customers in 220 countries and territories. Over a short span utilizing Burr-Lonnon’s added expertise, the company’s international business has grown from under $20 million to more than $1billion annually (USD), with Mouser’s global business fast approaching close to $2 billion in sales (USD).
Burr-Lonnon brings a wealth of global electronics distribution experience, totaling over 34 years. Prior to joining the Mouser and TTI executive team, Burr-Lonnon amassed an impressive track record serving in key global leadership and marketing roles for Yageo (previously Philips Components), Avnet, Plexus, and STC Electronic Services (now Arrow).Throughout his career, BurrLonnon has become adept at managing the many complexities of international business and forging strong industry relationships. His early career was in the U.K. and Europe, but the last 15 have been USA based. Burr-Lonnon is a devoted husband and proud father of a daughter. At home in Texas, he can be found enjoying a few rounds of golf, swimming, watching sports, or getting his ski fix at some faraway mountain resort.
What were the obstacles that Mouser Electronics faced? What did you do to overcome those obstacles?
Our greatest challenge over the last decade has been globalization. Learning how to establish and run a business in different countries, currencies, languages and cultures has been both challenging and rewarding. More than half of our business today is international.
How do you maintain the balance between the delivery of cost effective components and latest technology?
We invest heavily in our people, and we employ knowledgeable and dedicated staff members who provide timely and expert assistance to customers. We have people who are continually refreshing component data in our system because it is vital for us to receive, stock and ship products effectively. We also have strong partnerships with our shipping carriers.
What technical support does Mouser Electronics provide that is needed, both for making decisions about the right electronic components, and secondly for solving technical issues?
Mouser does much more than distribute components. We give customers the information they need for the complete design cycle. We stock the world’s widest selection of components with no minimum quantities on most parts, allowing innovators to order a single part for a prototype.
Also, we offer a wide range of online tools and information to help customers find the products and solutions they need. Our Technical Resource Center provides exclusive information on cutting-edge products, design resources, white papers and videos to support new levels of innovation.
We know engineers do not want to design with older components, so we flag these components on our website as Not Recommended for New Design (NRND) or End of Life (EOL), and notify customers when obsolescence is an issue. Plus we offer product alternatives, even providing the level of risk on the substitute part so customers can make informed decisions.
In addition, we have a local Customer Service Center in Bangalore to offer customers across India technical support in their local time zone. We believe this local service is important in giving our customers a best-in-class experience. We have 27 offices worldwide.
How do you think technology has played a significant role in the development and integration of electronic components?
Now is a very exciting time. It’s a time when many different technologies are making it possible to connect, understand and take informed action on what’s happening in the physical world — all in real time.
All the emerging technologies — such as the Internet of Things, augmented reality, 5G, autonomous vehicles, and embedded systems — are moving forward together, and they are pushing the development of other dependent technologies creating a demand for the integration of electronic components.
To help customers understand the significance of these technology trends, Mouser offers the Methods e-zine, Bench Talk blog, e-books, and other informative resources to our customers.
How does Mouser Electronics mitigate the environmental concerns regarding the disposal of e-waste? And How do you address the concern in your company?
We are a very forward-thinking company. Safeguarding our environment is integral to who we are, and we have an extensive recycling program. In all, we will be recycling more than 438 tons of material this year, saving nearly 7,500 trees, more than 3 million gallons of water and more than 1,300 cubic yards of landfill area.
Our recycling efforts this year alone will mean a reduction in air pollution by more than 13 tons and a savings of almost 1.8 million kilowatts of electricity. We recently have received an award for our recycling efforts from Evergreen Paper Recycling, which recognized us for Outstanding Achievement in Recycling for 2019.
In your opinion, why do you think a supplier of high-quality, precise and long-lasting components is necessary to drive business growth? How do you serve the approach? What about product shortages and lead times?
Mouser’s growth has been strong, and we expect this growth to continue. Because of our unique business model and vast inventory, we benefit from most product shortages because buyers know they can secure parts from us. If demand stays flat, then lead times shouldn’t be much of an issue in early 2020.
However, with the onset of 5G technology, we are expecting the semiconductor industry to improve next year, benefiting from increased need for components for wireless, mobile and telecommunications-related devices.
To ensure quality and authenticity, it’s never been more important to purchase from an authorized source such as Mouser. Mouser is registered to AS9100D/ISO9001:2015 and accredited to the coveted SAE AS6496 standard for anti-counterfeit measures.
Having these aerospace registrations means our customers know that Mouser is committed to distributing only authorized, genuine components with the least risk of counterfeit. We have a zero-tolerance policy and strict procedures in place to assure our customers that they can order with confidence.
What is the future demand of electronic components?
We are very optimistic, particularly for our industry. The digital revolution is driving global demand for semiconductors and electronic components. There’s 5G, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, robotics, industrial automation and transportation — all propelling demand.
With the growth of IoT, there will be new technologies introduced from our manufacturers around sensor technologies; the latest in power management; and of course, advancements in the microprocessors. Automotive, factory and home automation also will continue to be emerging markets as more technologies are introduced to make factories, homes and vehicles smarter and safer.
We are expanding our global headquarters and distribution center in Texas, USA, to accommodate growth. It’s a very exciting time for us.
What are Mouser Electronics’ plans in terms of expansion and further integration of new product launch?
Our focus is and always will be based on customer service excellence. Our commitment to inventory, new product releases, and our global growth will continue to be solid as we move through 2020. The digital revolution is driving demand. To meet this demand, we are investing in automation systems to expand capacity and efficiency in our warehouse. We now have the largest installation of Vertical Lift Modules (VLMS) in North America, a testament to our belief in working smarter.
VLMs — essentially giant vertical filing cabinets — can store tens of thousands of electronic components. The VLMs are expected to house up to 120,000 parts once fully online, helping our distribution teams greatly expedite orders for our 630,000 customers worldwide.
