Component Suppliers

Notice to Suppliers If any listed supplier feels that they have been unfairly judged, then please contact me by phone, fax or email. If you would like to be removed from the list, have a web site or email link added, or an "Any Size Order Welcome" note added, please let me know. I will only list suppliers that I have dealt with, or have attempted to deal with, or have heard independent good reports of. Recent Changes A new section of my complaints.

The Problem Purchasing electronic components at a good price in New Zealand is very difficult and time consuming. We have distributors and agents here for all major manufacturers (except Sharp, so far as I can tell). A number of major suppliers simply do not respond to requests for information, pricing or stock availability. Not unreasonably, they don't like dealing with low volume customers. I think that there are different types of low volume customers. Some produce one or two units at a time for special or one-off jobs. Some are hobbyists, looking to the importers to save a few dollars. Some like myself, are designing, prototyping and producing small initial numbers of products intended for large scale production. In this case I must be sure that the components I'm designing with are readily available in low and high volumes and competitively priced. It is possible to have two nearly identical designs, one costing five times as much to produce because of a few components, manufacturer or supplier. In most cases, I consider a minimum volume to be the smallest pack size. This might be 50, 100, 200 or 500 units, usually a tube or packet or roll. I'm often prepared to buy this quantity, sometimes putting 50% of the purchase aside for later use or another project. If a supplier will not sell this low volume, I will not design the component into the product or recommend the component (if exclusive) or supplier (if not available elsewhere) to others or for production. If you're only wanting a few bits or enough for the weekend project, please don't pester the suppliers mentioned on this page, unless it says "Any Size Order Welcome" after their name in the listing below. I might be able to help, see Component Supply Components can be divided into 3 or 4 major groups (passives, semiconductors, connectors and hardware). Each supplier seems to specialise in one group. It appears that the more general a supplier is, the higher their sell prices are. My Complaints Things must be going well; I don't really have any complaints at the moment. So if you're a manufacturer of components looking for a distributor in New Zealand I recommend that you contact Arrow Components (NZ) Ltd. I would like to hear from anyone with a view on this; email. Data Sheets & Application Notes Generally, if the data cannot be downloaded via the Internet, I'll not use the product. The Internet allows immediate access to current data and application information. No longer do you need 25 new data books from each manufacturer every 2 years. Some of the manufacturers combine their data and notes and publish them on CD. This only works if you can get the search program to work properly. No easy task with all the other things going on in the PC. I've found it easiest to download PDF files and every so often save another 400MB of them to a CD. The Suppliers There are a number of major importers/suppliers in New Zealand. Many of them seem to work like branch offices of an Australian company. This is not a problem. It depends on who you talk to (and I think, the weather) as to what prices you're quoted. I've had 2 quotes from different companies for the same parts that vary by 300%. On asking why, the higher price has been slashed. This causes a lack of trust. These companies should know each customers history, and offer the best pricing possible. It definitely pays to talk to the same person every time. Who you normally deal with will partly be determined by the manufacturers you prefer. I usually stick with Motorola, TI, ST for the major components and purchase the minor components from the same supplier. This means that in theory I could deal with only 1 supplier for everything. Unfortunately, no single supplier can deliver everything within a reasonable time period. The List Active Components They have a good range of product and can provide good pricing on standard parts. Active are the Phillips agent. Arrow A good response. No stock in NZ. Avnet Avnet are now the Dallas-Maxim agent. I don't deal with Avnet so I'm not using Dallas-Maxim parts whenever I can avoid them. Captron Electronics I've had a very good response from Captron. Have a good range of passive components at reasonable prices. Dick Smith Electronics DSE get a mention because they have retail shops almost everywhere. Once upon a time there was David J Reid Electronics. Then DSE turned up, and took over DJR. DSE is almost out of component supply. The component range used to be based on the Australian electronics magazine articles. Farnell Electronic Components A good supplier of odd bits or hard to find parts; when only one or two are required quickly. They seem to have most bits in stock and deliver the next day. Prices are quite high. Hi-Q Good service, prompt delivery, a bit more expensive. Connectors and hardware type stuff only. They have a good range of plastic hardware components. Mardag Holdings Ltd (mdh) Very helpful. Supply a range of connectors and enclosures. RS Components Too expensive. Trade-Tech Products Ltd Very helpful. Supply a range of semiconductor components including Holtec and Silicon Laboratories. THE BOTTOM LINE I suspect that many of the above listed companies can provide a good deal if they don't already, and are pushed. They have been classified above based on first impressions and recent contact or lack of contact in the case of no response. If anyone reading this page would like to comment, I can be reached by email. As things change I'll update this page. Alternatives Unfortunately there are few retail hobbyist electronic shops in New Zealand. Remember David Reid Electronics, they were good for small numbers of standard components. Dick Smith is now a toy shop that sells printer ink and a few useful things. Mail order seems to work. I've found that for small numbers of standard components there are a few American outlets that can supply just about everything. You just have to be careful that you don't order anything too heavy. I once ordered a roll of ribbon cable without thinking. The courier charge increased the price to more than I would have paid here. Delivery is usually by courier in about 10 days. Some of the pricing including freight is better than you can get in NZ, some is much higher. Also check out the surplus stocks being sold on web sites. There are a few really good deals for one-off items (no good for production runs). I once sourced a large LCD display for a repair from surplus stock for about $50 landed. I was quoted $1000 from the local agent, and over $2000 from the local service agent. For large volumes or a mixture of components with a reasonable total value, check out some of the Asian suppliers. They can also provide economical component supply and assembly, delivering completed circuit boards. See the Asian Sources magazine or web site. See Component Supply for PMB component sales

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last updated: 06 April 2008