Digi-Key

Digi-Key Electronics
Private
Industry Electronics
Founded 1972
Founder Ronald Stordahl
Headquarters Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Revenue $1.7 billion (2011)
Number of employees
 3,300+
Website http://www.digikey.com

Digi-Key is the fourth largest electronic component distributor in North America and a broad-line distributor of board level components. It ranks as the fifth largest electronic component distributor in the world.[1] Founded in 1972 by Ronald Stordahl, its name is a reference to the “Digi-Keyer Kit”, a digital electronic keyer kit that he developed and marketed to amateur radio enthusiasts. He continues to privately own the company.[2]

Mark Larson, who joined Digi-Key in 1976 as its general manager, has been its president since 1985. He has led the company from its initial focus on the hobbyist market to the expanded market it serves today.[2] Digi-Key President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Larson announced he would be stepping down from his role within the company and transition to a board position in June 2015. Dave Doherty, who serves as the Executive Vice President of Operations at Digi-Key, will transition to Larson’s position.[3]

In 1996, Digi-Key introduced its website that offers complete online commerce capabilities along with access to product inventory. Digi-Key currently hosts 82 websites in eight supported languages.

Digi-Key continued to grow following the recession in 2008.[4] In six years, Digi-Key moved from 16th largest to fifth largest among the more than 300 electronic component distributors in North America. According to their website, in 2007 EE Times conducted a survey in which engineers rated Digi-Key “#1 for Overall Performance for the 16th Consecutive Year”.

Digi-Key is located in a single, centralized location in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Its facility measures 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) and houses over 3,000 employees. Its product distribution center stocks over 1,000,000 products from over 650 manufacturers and ships to 170 countries worldwide.[1]

Digi-Key serves design engineers and the prototyping market, as well as an expanding role in supplying production quantities for OEMs and contract manufacturers.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Digi-Key Company History". Digikey.com. Digi-Key Corporation. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 Rako, P (2006-09-28). "Voices: Digi-Key: growing up, privately". EDN (magazine). Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  3. ↑ Hageman, John. "UPDATED: Digi-Key vice president takes president position; president moves to board". Grand Folks Herald. Grand Folks Herald.
  4. ↑ "In tough economy, Minn. firm faces unusual problem". Minnesota Public Radio News. 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2012-06-26.

Further reading

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