Avnet Electronics Marketing's Singapore Programming Centre Certified for Automotive Industry's 'Quality Management Standard of the Future'

Avnet Electronics Marketing's Singapore Programming Centre Certified for Automotive Industry's 'Quality Management Standard of the Future'

December 21, 2006

ISO/TS 16949 Compliance will Expand Opportunities for
Device Programming in 
China's Rapidly Growing Automotive Sector


    SINGAPORE, Dec. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Avnet
Electronics Marketing's 
Programming Centre in Singapore has been certified as fully
compliant with 
the ISO/TS 16949 -- a quality management standard hailed by
many as 'the 
future for the automotive sector.' 

    "The ISO/TS 16949 standard is a quality management
system specifically 
for the automotive sector," said Louis Lam, vice
president of logistics, 
operations and IT at Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia. 
"Without possessing 
this standard, companies cannot perform value-added
services like device 
programming for automotive products."

    Avnet Electronics Marketing's programming service turns
programmable 
components into customised devices for specific
applications -- whether they 
are for small prototype quantities or volume production
needs.

    The compliance certification, which is valid for three
years, was awarded 
by Lloyds Register of Quality Assurance (LRQA), one of the
world's most 
experienced organisations in helping customers use
management systems to 
improve their businesses. 

    While Avnet Electronics Marketing's Singapore
Programming Centre is the 
first Avnet centre in Asia to receive the certificate,
others are expected to 
mirror the practice, which will result in quicker
turnaround for automotive 
business and increased customer satisfaction and confidence
levels.

    "The international standard ISO/TS 16949 was
developed to harmonise and 
integrate various quality management systems, providing a
universal standard 
that encompasses all requirements relevant in the
automotive industry.  It is 
set to provide significant benefits to those companies
supplying them," said 
Lam.  "This is a major competitive advantage when you
consider that we are on 
the doorstep of China and its booming auto industry."


    According to research firm Strategy Analytics,
automotive semiconductor 
revenues are expected to grow from US$13.7 billion in 2003
to US$23.2 billion 
in 2008, at an average growth rate of 11.1 per cent per
year.  The auto 
market in Asia, especially in China, is expected to account
for a large part 
of this growth.

    Established in 1985 by the internationally renowned
Lloyd's Register and 
being a leader in the automotive field, LRQA is one of a
select few 
recognised by the IATF to provide this certification. 

    "We are extremely pleased to have received this
important accreditation," 
Lam added.  "It means that our people are certified to
handle the rigorous 
requirements and procedures of the automotive industry and,
with this sector 
growing so rapidly in the region, we are very optimistic
that many more 
embedded IC producers will want us to program their devices
too." 

    Avnet Electronic Marketing's global infrastructure
provides customers 
with support from any part of the world.  The company
opened its Singapore 
Programming Centre (PC) in 2001 with a primary role to
program ICs in devices 
for products in all industrial segments.  The Singapore
programming centre 
employs about 40 people.  In addition, the company operates
PCs in Shanghai, 
Hong Kong, North America, Mexico and Europe.

    About Avnet Electronics Marketing

    Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia is part of
Phoenix-based Avnet, Inc. 
(NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500 company with fiscal 2006 sales
exceeding USD$14.25 
billion.  Serving customers in approximately 70 countries,
Avnet is one of 
the world's largest technology marketing, distribution and
services companies.

    Avnet Electronics Marketing has a significant presence
in Asia-Pacific -- 
the fastest growing electronics market in the world.  With
its regional 
headquarters in Singapore, the company has 38 locations in
10 countries in 
Asia.  It distributes semiconductors, interconnect, passive
and 
electromechanical components to serve a wide range of
customers including 
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), electronic
manufacturing services 
(EMS) providers, and small- to medium-sized businesses, and
provides 
associated design-chain and supply-chain services.  The
company's web site is 
located at http://www.em.avnet.com .

    For enquiries on releases by email, please call Rosa
Lee at (852) 2537 
8022 or send a message to [e-mail] .


    For more information, please contact:

     Jaime Chan 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
     
     Brian Peterson (EBA): 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]


SOURCE  Avnet Electronics Marketing