Avnet have purchased Element14 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Gavin Melville
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 05:41:42 am
content: Well that’s one less supplier....

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 06:01:39 am
content: how does that effect Farnell ??

author: Spragnut
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 06:28:03 am
content: The first step of the acquisition happened in late 2016, if you've ordered from Farnell in the last few years I'm afraid you've already technically purchased from the new "Farnell owned by Avnet".The website change happened last week, I place orders with them daily and haven't seen any change to the support or our sales contract since the merger. Although staff have been moved around as we are currently without an account manager and they changed our direct support contact, not that they are key to our purchasing, the contract takes care of that.Our account manager mentioned a while ago that they were trying to support the smaller OEM's more as this is a quickly growing section of the industry.Time will tell if this will change of course, we did have a couple of orders which had missed dispatch on the day of placing the order, I was told the cause was they have had a significant growth and the warehouse staff were unable to fulfil all orders. Sounds to me like they aren't doing too bad.I'm keeping my fingers crossed the merger increases their stock holding and they ultimately keep their UK distribution.Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 10:11:03 am
content: was about to post this as well.whaaaat? i didn't hear anything about it last week at EWedit: no, i didn't know (or remember) it started back in 2016

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 04:09:51 pm
content: well i hope it works well, because if not - it will take out CPC too!!!!it's dangerous how so many company's are connected these days.

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 08:30:58 pm
content: Quote from: Gavin Melville on March 04, 2019, 05:41:42 amOH, NOOOOooooo! While Digi-Key is my main go-to dist. I did use Newark (Element 14) for certain items where they had better stock or were cheaper. IR components, for instance.But, Avnet is just about HORRIBLE. I just had an issue where they sold a part, then notified me it had 6 week lead time. I kept watching online, and suddenly it went to 20+ weeks. I tried calling them, but could not get through. Every time I called, from several lines and cell phones, they would just hang up after 0-2 rings.So, I ordered the part from Mouser at a higher price. The NEXT DAY, Avnet emails to say the parts are shipped.If I order at Digi-Key, Mouser or others, in general the parts shipped THAT day. If I order from Avnet, it is surprising if the parts ship the same WEEK!So, this is really NOT good news. Maybe the Newark crew can show them how a distributor should operate. But, I fear the worst.Jon

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 09:01:19 pm
content: I hope it does not have any influence on their stock and delivery times.

author: Cnoob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 10:20:34 pm
content: I ordered from Farnell on Friday and it arrived today as I expected it would.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2019, 10:34:25 pm
content: Quote from: stj on March 04, 2019, 06:01:39 amLots of green apparently.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2019, 08:02:03 am
content: Former colleague received email that nothing would change for them....... uhuh ...

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2019, 09:05:11 am
content: So, thishappened in 2016.Quote from: stj on March 04, 2019, 06:01:39 amGreen, no blue and orange.

author: electromotive
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2019, 05:27:38 pm
content: There was a rumor floating around a while back that Element 14 wasn't in great financial health. It seems to me that Ben Heck *sort of* alluded to such with the wrap up of his show. Could be nonsense, could be truth in it. It's hard to say.

author: Claudiovpm
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 05, 2019, 08:32:35 pm
content: Cool

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 07:35:49 am
content: Quote from: electromotive on March 05, 2019, 05:27:38 pmDon't they publish their results?https://www.premierfarnell.com/content/final-results-1https://www.premierfarnell.com/content/final-results-2https://www.premierfarnell.com/content/final-results-3https://www.premierfarnell.com/content/final-results-4

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 07:36:36 am
content: As stated, this is just an official FOH change now. Avnet have been running the show for years, I doubt there will be any significant changes.I did notice the change removed the minimum order value for free postage for account customers though. It always used to be free postage no matter what value, then they tried a £20 min value, dropped to £10 and now it's back to £0. My discount seems unaffected.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 10:43:01 am
content: I have noticed in recent months that anecdotally they're not doing so well at delivering next day in the UK. Whether this is due to the Avnet migration or not I don't know, but it's sometimes a bit frustrating, and as a result I have started to use RSWWW more often for time critical items.

author: Spragnut
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 10:53:51 am
content: I spoke to our account admin about the delays, current solution is to place orders as early as possible, not that that is a real world fix! They have said it's warehouse bottlenecks causing it, caused by being exceptionally busy, I wonder if they have taken on some of Avnets logistics.On the subject on contracts/discounts ours has remained the same, only worrying thing is we haven't seen or heard from an account manager for a while so I'm thinking there may be a contract shakeup!Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 01:11:29 pm
content: Just before the website change at the trade show "Embedded World 2019" in Germany they had already gotten rid of the Farnell/Element14 branding. They had a big ass green colored Avnet booth. Only thing left of Farnell was a small half meter sized sign with there logo in the corner of the booth. The only purpose of the sign was to let people know that this is what Farnell is now.But in terms of ordering stuff nothing has changed. If anything things have changed for the better because suddenly Avnet stock was showing up in the search results and could be bought in the same way as Farnell stock. This suddenly meant that they had way more stuff in stock, so i had less need to go to Digikey, Mouser... etc to get stuff i couldn't get there.The place i work at has a contract with Farnell for cheaper prices and free overnight shipping, so we tend to only buy somewhere else if Farnell doesn't have it.

author: fourtytwo42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 01:41:43 pm
content: Quote from: SteveyG on March 06, 2019, 07:36:36 amOhh that's interesting, I switched to RS years ago when Farnell decided to get unfriendly!Time for another look perhaps as I hate the high MOQ's at RS and and particularly that you cannot include them as a search criteria.Ahh not quite, just got this off there websiteOrder Value Delivery & Handling Cost£20 and above (Exc. VAT) - Online orders FREE£0 - £19.99 (Exc. VAT) - Online orders £3.95 FREE - Trade account holders only£0 - £19.99 (Exc. VAT) - Online orders £3.95 - Non-Trade account holders£0 - £29.99 (Exc. VAT) - Offline orders £6.95

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 02:26:03 pm
content: Quote from: jmelson on March 04, 2019, 08:30:58 pmInteresting.I had exactly that experience with my (one and only) order with Avnet Express.Ieventuallymanaged to cancel the offending item using their webchat facility.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 02:32:37 pm
content: Quote from: stj on March 04, 2019, 04:09:51 pmOne example of that is Vishay. In the good old days they used to be the go-to place for high precision resistors and capacitors - because that was their USP.Now they seem to have swept up many manufacturers and placed them under the Vishay brand, so they no longer offer only high quality components.Unfortunately they haven't managed to collect all their sub-brand's/range's components into their search engine, so it is the devil to find the components with the specs you need. Instead you have to search all of their sub-brands/ranges separately

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 02:57:40 pm
content: Well,FarnellAvnet are already treating their customers like idiots, with the usual corporate drivel...If you look athttps://uk.farnell.com/an-avnet-companyyou will find there is are two sections "How is this going to benefit me as Farnell element14 customer?" followed by "So what is changing?". The latter is that Avnet have taken over Farnell. The former is, in its entirety,QuoteSummary: there is nonewbenefit to customers; all the benefits were already in place.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 02:59:08 pm
content: Less orange is a benefit.Hopefully they will fix the broken mess that is the farnell web front end. That would be a good benefit.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 03:07:02 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on March 06, 2019, 02:59:08 pmFat chance.In order to use their "min/max" filter, I have to set my browser to allow popups. Ugh.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 03:15:49 pm
content: Indeed. You think they'd have some sort of UI testing or something with that sort of cash going through...

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 05:22:22 pm
content: Yeah the website filters are especially broken recently.Tho from my experience farnells website just slowly drifts trough varying degrees of "brokenness". At some point it was so broken i was using octopart to search farnell, at other points it all works, just the categories are silly and nonsense.Tho i quite often search for parts on Digikey, once i find parts i like i copy paste the partnumber into Farnell to check if they got it.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 05:41:29 pm
content: I do that with digikey as wellLCSC is better than Farnell now and that's saying something.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 05:42:21 pm
content: Another comment I have is that recently they’ve started pushing alternatives, which has been common with the recent cap shortages. Sadly the recommended alternatives are far from the cheapest option, so it’s no help really.

author: electromotive
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 09:20:33 pm
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on March 06, 2019, 07:35:49 amThey do, but for the company as a whole, not separated out into different corporate components.

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2019, 09:38:11 am
content: Quote from: fourtytwo42 on March 06, 2019, 01:41:43 pmI think it depends on your contract with them. Those are just the general costs.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2019, 03:10:00 pm
content: And I just discovered that Farnell no longer allows consumers in Switzerland to order. They now refer you to a “partner” with a website so bad that I don’t have words for it, and with only a subset of products. Not sure when this change happened, but it ensures I’ll never use them.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2019, 04:03:40 pm
content: Hah, it gets worse!If you go to ch.farnell.com and try to register an account, it gives you the choice between business and consumer sales, and if you click consumer, it automatically forwards you to the partner website... which now says “No longer in service. Consumers in Switzerland can now order from farnell.ch again.”farnell.ch just takes you to the Farnell worldwide site selector.So no, consumers in Switzerland still can’t order from Farnell...

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2019, 04:42:43 pm
content: That was changed here in holland also two years or so ago.There is now a second business in between also scraping some money of the consumer sales.

author: dzseki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2019, 08:48:53 pm
content: Maybe not related to the more prominent takeover, but basically all ICs I've ordered from them a year ago are now all discontinued at Farnell, fortunately all of these available at Mouser...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 12:24:41 am
content: Quote from: dzseki on May 20, 2019, 08:48:53 pmI'm noticing the same. Farnell is purging a lot of chips from their catalog. Not a smart move because I order from Mouser OR Farnell. Not both so if there is one item I need to order from Mouser then I order everything from Mouser.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 07:09:46 am
content: Have also noticed this. Wanted some LT ICs which shown as discontinued but still active on Analog.com and in stock on mouser. Interestingly RS have also stopped stocking them as well about the same time. Wonder if it’s a supplier problem.Edit: actually could this be RoHS related?

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 07:16:37 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on May 21, 2019, 12:24:41 amSame here. After you go over a value, shipping gets free, so I combine if I can. And as you say, if one has crucial parts, usually they get the whole order..

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 08:47:25 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on May 21, 2019, 07:09:46 amthe parts would have to be *very* old stock to be tinned with leaded solder.maybe they are just dumping stuff that hardly sells to concentrate on the stuff that actually moves.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 08:51:05 am
content: I've had stuff delivered recently from them that had 2003 datecode on it so YMMV there. There are however new RoHS directive this year which ban more than just lead.You are probably right however.

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2019, 06:01:38 pm
content: Painful. Avoid E14 if you are from Singapore or Malaysia. I am not sure are Australia and NZ affected. The customer service has been transferred to some incompetent back office in India. They kept giving me wrong information about my order repeatedly. After confirming the order for 1 week, I got an email to say the order could not be fulfilled. Turn up is only for 1 item. But each time the CS said some thing unusual that is against what the website says, they turn up to be wrong. Anyway I am yet to receive my parts after 1 week.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2019, 12:31:33 pm
content: So... they bought "Sand"... (element-14 Silicon).Can I order a truck load for my driveway please....(Sorry... I'm an aussie xox)

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2019, 01:09:12 pm
content: How did I never notice that.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 12:00:23 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on March 08, 2019, 03:10:00 pmQuote from: tooki on May 03, 2019, 04:03:40 pmAnd now it still won't let consumers register, and attempting to still redirects to the partner website, which now says “No longer in service. We are working on a new shopping solution for consumers in Switzerland.”What the hell is wrong with these people?!?

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2019, 06:25:37 am
content: E14 price was no good, but other parts were working well, but new owners did not improve on the price (at least not yet) but was destroying what was working with old E14. I put in a bad reviews and was rejected. Normally the most valuable part of buying over a company is the customer base, new owner is buying over to destroy it so far.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2019, 08:47:06 am
content: It’s actually working pretty well for me. They fixed all the weird issues, the parametric search seems to work and the “fuck you” checkout has been replaced with something useable.