Mouser Electronics is increasing its physical presence in the European market as it expects double-digit growth in its business 2012.
The online and catalogue distributor plans to add more European staff and new branch offices next year to provide more local product support.
“We're not just trying to look local, we want to be local,” Glenn Smith, CEO at Mouser told Electronics Weekly.
“We believe local people are necessary to understand the needs of the local customers, market and product technologies,” said Smith
The distributor believes the addition of local offices including a European marketing headquarters and support centre in Munich, Germany has helped drive strong sales growth in 2011.
“By adding more resources and staff members in Europe, we have helped drive further growth over an amazing 2010,” said Mark Burr-Lonnon, Mouser v-p of EMEA business.
“We’ve seen around 42% further growth in 2011, with no slowing of this success, making us now a true player in the European market,” said Burr-Lonnon.
The growth was seen despite the slowing of the market in the second half of the year.
Burr-Lonnon hopes to see sales growth of up to 30% next year.
He said the company’s sales were growing in all the major European markets in 2011.
France up 75%, Spain up 57%, Sweden up 54%, the Benelux up 54%, U.K. up 48%, Italy up 41% and Germany up 40%.
Along with the office in Munich, Mouser has offices located in the UK, Czech Republic, France, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
Burr-Lonnon said there is a focus on the embedded market. “The embedded market is key in Europe and more than half our new European lines are related to the embedded market,” said Burr-Lonnon.
CEO Glenn Smith said the distributor had no plan to change its focus on the design sector and go after small-order manufacturing business.
“Semiconductors, displays and sensors are product areas which drive the design. They define the capability of a new design, this is our focus,” said Smith.
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