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TTI, the specialist passive component and connector distributor, is strengthening its position in the European components market.
TTI has described for the first time how its links with Mouser Electronics, the catalogue distributor it acquired in 2000, are strengthening its position in the wider components market by linking the companies' different product strategies.
"Mouser's model is for rapid product introductions across a broad line of products. What TTI can do for that is meet the fulfillment demand," Andrew Kerr, European marketing director for passives and discretes at TTI told Electronics Weekly.
In another move announced at the exhibition, for the first time TTI will carry discrete semiconductor lines from four of its franchises.
When asked whether this meant TTI was changing is business to offer semiconductors as will as its traditional passives and connector lines, Kerr said: "We will not destroy our whole model, we are committed to be a specialist distributor.
"But working more closely with Mouser we can address the full product cycle from introduction to production. It is a powerful model and no one else has that model," said Kerr.
The sales operations for Mouser and TTI are already being co-ordinated more closely to support both arms of the business. "The sales channels look for ways to join the passives with the semiconductors," said Kerr.
Does this mean that TTI will add to its linecard of just 38 suppliers? "No. We are committed to our mission to be a specialist distributor. We cannot be all things to everybody," said Kerr.
TTI is offering discrete semiconductors for the first time from its existing franchises - Vishay, Littelfuse, Bourns and Panasonic.
Kerr said there were also plans to add further lines, maybe a further two or three suppliers, said Kerr.
He would not confirm any names but added that TTI already had a relationship with Toshiba in the US. "and they are the biggest supplier of discretes in the world," said Kerr.
Mouser opened its first European office in Germany in July.