Consolidated Relationships, Global Network
Consolidation of your vendor relationships drives efficiency, but diversification is also important for supply chain resilience and mitigating disruptions. An independent distributor is the best of both worlds. Rather than interfacing with scores of individual suppliers, you can leverage a global network of vetted sources with only a single point of contact.
This approach provides the diversified network you need for supplier risk mitigation while keeping everything streamlined within a single, responsive relationship. Fewer protocols, platforms, and interfaces to manage will improve process efficiency and communication.
Alternative Sources
An independent distributor provides critical second source and like-for-like replacement opportunities. Obsolescence, out-of-stock notices, and discontinued service can represent a major financial risk for your business — unless you’re able to reliably locate alternative suppliers or compatible replacement parts.
Leverage your independent distributor’s broad network and resourcefulness in sourcing for all of your obsolescence management needs. Sensible Micro has the relationships to track down niche or in-demand parts that you just can’t find anywhere else.
Early Warnings
Your relationship with an independent distributor of electronic components brings supplier risk mitigation advantages beyond procurement. As a committed supply chain partner, your distributor will have an eye out for the latest Last Time Buy (LTB) notices, End of Life Announcements (EOLA), and surplus stock releases.
You can often gain a competitive advantage through your partner’s vigilance and early warnings about major component changes or opportunities. Advance notice helps you to mitigate the impact of obsolescence and maintain safety stock of parts that may soon become hard to find.
More Than a Broker
Unlike a broker, who is not in the business of carrying stock, your independent distributor may have exactly the hot parts you need in-stock and on-hand for rapid delivery. Brokers are modeled for just-in-time (JIT) delivery of products, connecting you with suppliers right when you need to place an order. This methodology prioritizes cost efficiency but leaves you vulnerable to the risk of stockouts, demand spikes, or discontinuations.
JIT is no longer a sustainable approach to component sourcing. Careful supplier risk mitigation requires a shift toward a Just-in-Case (JIC) strategy. An independent distributor has the resources to help you protect your business against the likelihood of major supply disruptions and maintain the safety stock you need.
Quality Assurance & Counterfeit Avoidance
Your distributor will be very familiar with what it takes to verify quality from a diverse network of suppliers. Some distributors, like Sensible Micro, can go a step further. We provide our partners with access to one of the most technically-advanced inspection labs in the industry, on-site at the Sensible Micro facility. We maintain IDEA (independent distributors of electronics association) certifications as part of our commitment to supplier risk mitigation.
All authorized, independent, and factory-direct components we source are evaluated in-house by our team of IDEA-ICE-3000 certified inspectors. The 72-point IDEA-STD-1010-B visual confirmation procedure used by the Sensible Micro lab is the preferred method of the most quality-driven distributors and OEMs in the industry (as cited in AS5553). We provide high-powered microscopy and marking permanency tests on every single order.
You’ll also have the freedom to request a full range of quality assurance tests — from simple solderability testing to full-scale counterfeit avoidance inspections. We’re also ready to assist you in developing a custom General Counterfeit Avoidance Test (GCAT) plan to fit your precise end-user requirements or niche applications.
Contact Sensible Micro today to discuss your supplier risk mitigation options, or check out our hybrid line card here.
