Avnet Electronics Marketing Positions Itself as the Communications Distributor of Choice.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 2000

In an effort to enhance and evolve its position as the distributor of choice for components and services for original equipment manufacturers in the communications arena, Avnet Electronics Marketing (EM) recently aligned its technical and product resources behind a sweeping communications initiative.

The company has a dedicated communications product business unit and has deployed account managers, field application engineers and business development managers to serve and support communications customers with design and component sourcing for their applications. This deployment strategy has begun in major United States communications markets including Boston, Southern California, Chicago, Dallas and Seattle.

"This initiative, driven by the explosive growth in the communications market, is part of Avnet's commitment to providing customer-centric service," said Steve Church, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas.

Avnet offers a complete portfolio of products to support all wired and wireless communications applications. Additionally, Avnet is building upon its 25 years of wireless field and design expertise as well as its 15 years of ASIC/FPGA design service experience with communications customers.

For wireless applications, Avnet's RF & Microwave product business group has cultivated field resources focused on providing technical and value-added discrete and integrated component solutions.

Concurrently, Avnet Design Services is providing customers with its technical expertise to assist in the design process for wired communications applications and is developing communications product reference designs and evaluation kits for its suppliers.

Reaction from Avnet's suppliers has been positive. "Motorola is committed to providing customers with leading technology, support and delivery for the communications market," said Gary Beaudin, director of marketing for Motorola's Wireless Infrastructure Systems Division, SPS.

"With our expansive product portfolio and Avnet's ability to support customers throughout the development cycle, we are better able to assist communications customers in developing flexible design solutions and help reduce time to market."

During the next 12 months, Avnet will further support this initiative by promoting and supporting communications products for network infrastructure, remote access and home/office needs through special marketing offers, tradeshows, Web seminars and customer training programs delivered by Avnet Design Services.

Recently, Xilinx and Avnet Design Services collaborated to develop a complete suite of FPGA Engineering Services designed to help customers specify, develop and design Xilinx FPGAs.

According to Sandeep Vij, vice president of marketing and general manager, General Products Division, Xilinx, "The fusion of Avnet Design Services and Xilinx resources allows FPGA design challenges to be overcome and is driving development of innovative and cost effective technology in a communications environment."

Continued collaboration with leading suppliers will contribute to Avnet's communications initiative as will an evolving business strategy that focuses on investments in leading communications start-ups and the company's global presence.

Avnet Electronics Marketing is an operating group of Phoenix-based Avnet Inc. (NYSE:AVT), and is one of the world's largest distributors of semiconductors, interconnect, passive and electromechanical components from leading manufacturers. Serving customers in 60 countries, Avnet markets, inventories and adds value to these products and provides world-class supply-chain management and engineering design services.

A Fortune 500 company, Avnet reported sales of $9.1 billion for FY 00 (year ended June 30, 2000). The company's web site is located at www.avnet.com