Manufacturing Leadership Award Presented to Avnet Technology Solutions

Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), today announced that it has been recognized with a 2015 Manufacturing Leadership Award (ML Award) from global market research firm Frost & Sullivan in the “Operational Excellence Leadership” category. Avnet was honored for its initiative to drive productivity and speed through its operations teams to help deliver profitable growth for Avnet in the U.S. and Canada. Leveraging a new internal IT productivity campaign within Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, the organization’s operations team decided to take one element, productivity, to an even higher level of focus than ever before. The team’s goal was to give time back to employees so they could focus on value-added areas with suppliers and customers while ensuring the organization was achieving ROI targets from the IT investment of a common enterprise portfolio.

An objective was established for the operations team to achieve upward of a 20 percent productivity improvement target. Within operations, the Avnet materials team established a strategy to accomplish this goal through employee-led teams – changing how the existing departments solved problems and interacted. The following goals were established: a) drive profitable growth; b) create customer and supplier preference; c) heighten operational excellence; and d) facilitate people development. The initiative’s results indicated a significant contribution to improving resource utilization, with the productivity focus a new way of life for the Avnet materials team. In addition, a highly collaborative culture has emerged based on a multi-team matrix approach, where employees are more invested and new projects continue to be introduced.

“Winning an ML Award for the second time in as many years underscores our commitment to continually improve Avnet’s supply chain performance for our suppliers and customers, as well as exemplifies our dedication to our people and our process,” said Chuck Fries, vice president, material operations, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. “By focusing on value-added activities, supply chain innovation and process streamlining, we have been able to improve Avnet’s customer satisfaction, realize improved material operations, drive more effective sales and achieve greater employee engagement, all of which contribute toward helping our partners excel in the channel and profitably expand into new markets.”

Click to tweet: Avnet has been recognized by @MfgExecutive with a 2015 Manufacturing Leadership Award in the “Operational Excellence Leadership” category http://avnet.me/28503.

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Manufacturing Leadership Awards:

The Manufacturing Leadership Awards (ML Awards) honor companies and individuals that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Award nominees describe their breakthrough projects using the nomination form. Nominations for breakthrough projects are entered into specific categories and evaluated by a panel of expert judges. Seven of the ML Awards categories are for outstanding projects undertaken and completed by a manufacturing company. Four of the categories recognize the achievements of individual manufacturing executives. For more information, go to: http://mlawards.gilcommunity.com/

About the Manufacturing Leadership Council

The Manufacturing Leadership Council, Frost & Sullivan, is the world’s first member-driven, global business leadership network dedicated to senior executives in the manufacturing industry. The Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help senior executives define and shape a better future for themselves, their organizations, and the industry at large. The Council produces an extensive portfolio of leadership networking, information and professional development products, programs, and services -- including the Manufacturing Executive Website, an online global business network with 5,300 members around the world; the Manufacturing Leadership Council, an invitation-only executive organization of over 100 members; the annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit – Bold Ideas for a Better Future; the Manufacturing Leadership Awards, celebrating industry achievement; and the thought-leading Manufacturing Leadership Journal. More information on www.MLCouncil.com.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

• The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
• The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. http://www.frost.com.

About Avnet Technology Solutions

As a global IT solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions transforms technology into business solutions for customers around the world. It collaborates with customers and suppliers to create and deliver services, software and hardware solutions that address the changing needs of end-user customers. The group serves customers and suppliers in North America, Latin America and Caribbean, Asia Pacific, and Europe, Middle East and Africa. It generated US $11.0 billion in annual revenue for fiscal year 2014. Avnet Technology Solutions is an operating group of Avnet, Inc. For more information, visit ats.avnet.com.

About Avnet, Inc.

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers globally. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 28, 2014, Avnet generated revenue of $27.5 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.