Avnet Opens Asia Headquarters

Electronic News, Nov 8, 1999 by Heidi Elliott

Avnet Inc. last week opened its new Asian headquarters in Singapore.

Known locally as Avnet Asia Pte Ltd., the 36,000-square-foot Avnet Asia headquarters includes a pan-Asia distribution center and corporate offices housing management, sales, customer service, marketing, inventory management, supplier management, finance and information technology functions that support the company's operations in 13 Asia/Pacific countries. Liew Heng San, managing director of the Economic Development Board of Singapore, and Roy Vallee, Avnet chairman and chief executive officer, attended the grand opening ceremony.

Avnet first entered the Asian market in 1995 with an acquisition in Hong Kong that established a base for the company to enter the Chinese market. Since then it has also established a presence in Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Korea. Avnet Asia Pte Ltd. plans to offer three branded value-added services for customers throughout the region -- Core Distribution Services, Avnet Integrated Material Services and Avnet Design Services.

"By providing highly efficient distribution and value-added services to a worldwide customer base of leading original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers of consumer and industrial electronic products and information technology products, we are helping to improve quality, reduce product cycle times and cut production costs," Vallee said. "We are committed to providing the highest value relationships to our customers and suppliers worldwide and the Avnet Asia regional headquarters and pan-Asia distribution center will help us deliver on that commitment."

At the same time, Avnet announced the promotion of Rob Hagen to president of Avnet Asia. Brian Hilton, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing's international operations, made the announcement.

Hagen relocated to Singapore in June and served with Hilton as co-president, Avnet Asia. During the last four months, Hagen has gradually assumed full charge of day-to-day management duties, overseeing the region's operations.