Supply Chain Experts from Avnet to Discuss Risk Management and Profitable Proximity During electronica 2012

Four Avnet sessions will take place during the 25th annual electronica trade fair for electronic components, systems and applications, to be held November 13 - 16 in Munich, Germany

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a leading global technology distributor, today announced that Douglas Kent, global vice president of Avnet Velocity; Brian Wilken, vice president of Supply Chain Solutions, EMEA; Pascal Fernandez, vice president of Avnet Velocity, EMEA; and Erwin Luginsland, director of Avnet Supply Chain Solutions, will present four educational sessions on supply chain risk management and the trend toward “profitable proximity” at electronica 2012 in Munich, Germany. The presentations will take place November 13 – 16, 2012.

“electronica provides the industry with an opportunity to discuss solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing the electronics supply chain”

“electronica provides the industry with an opportunity to discuss solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing the electronics supply chain,” said Kent. “Avnet’s sessions will delve into how companies can benefit from the complexities of their supply chains while managing risks and providing better customer service through a profitable proximity model.”

Avnet’s supply chain sessions during electronica are:

Session 1: Supply Chain – It's a Risky Business
The globalization and complexities of the electronics industry continue to drive organizations to consider their exposure to risk. Co-presented by Kent and Wilken, this session will be held on Tuesday, November 13 at 14:00 CET at Halle B5 / B5.351 and will address the following:

• Understanding areas of risk in extended supply chains
• Measuring "Value at Risk" and determining levels of risk tolerance
• Leveraging supply chain visibility and analytics to identify and mitigate risks

Session 2: Capitalizing on Complexity – Reducing Multi-tier Supply Risk
Today's supply chain ecosystem is more complex than ever. For most analysts, the forward-looking view remains consistent: this complexity is in fact the new "norm." Rather than exercising expensive attempts to reduce complexity, many organizations are accepting the fact that opportunity resides in capitalizing on complexity rather than attempting to reduce it, which has proven limited in its impact. Fernandez will host this session on Wednesday, November 14 at 14:00 CET at Halle B5 / B5.351. Attendees will develop an understanding of the complexities that exist in their supply chains and how to apply the following techniques to capitalize on it:

• Fully understanding the costs to serve customers across their entire supply chain in order to make tough decisions regarding suppliers, products and customers
• Extending the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process through multiple tiers of the supply chain to ensure the transparency of critical information and solid feedback loops
• Building a multi-echelon control tower approach in order to not only command and control the supply chain, but also provide predictability by sensing and responding to how market conditions change

Session 3: Informed Outsourcing Decision Making – the Profitable Proximity Conundrum
In an effort to bring more efficiency and effectiveness to the supply chain, the trend toward outsourced manufacturing continues. However, chasing lower labor costs in regions far from demand is no longer the single recipe for success. Simply said, companies are now trying to understand their entire cost-to-serve model to better determine if an option such as near-shoring might provide a more sustainable supply chain model that creates an economic advantage and improved customer service. This presentation by Kent will be held on Thursday, November 15 at 10:30 CET at Halle B5 / B5.351 and will examine:

• What is a cost-to-serve model and how is it calculated?
• The definition of "profitable proximity" and when is it most likely to be a preferred option
• Examining the supply chain outlook for 2013 and beyond

Session 4: Calm Waters or Eye of the Storm – Global and Local Risk Factors Impacting the EMEA Supply Chain
Using the some of the related topics presented in Session 1, “Supply Chain - It’s a Risky Business,” there are additional risks impacting the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) supply chain in the year ahead. It is important to assess the current state of risk management to help companies better react to any new or strong movement in the market downwards or upwards. This presentation by Luginsland will be held on Thursday, November 15 at 14:00 CET at Halle B5 / B5.351 and will discuss the following areas of concern:

• Global risk factors which will directly or indirectly impact European customers’ ability to grow here and abroad
• European-specific risks that may limit European companies’ competitiveness in global markets
• Europe’s current state of preparedness in the “calm” of the current market and what lessons can be drawn from the market downturn of 2008-2009. Did we learn anything?

To register for electronica visit: http://www.electronica.de/en/home/visitor/prices-registration/online-ticket-registration

About Avnet

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers globally. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, Avnet generated revenue of $25.7 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

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