Smith’s Intelligent Distribution™ Model in Action

To address the challenges of supply chain management, Smith has developed a customer-focused Intelligent Distribution™ model to fit your exact requirements.

The model can adapt to ever-changing demands by providing seamless global electronics distribution, sourcing, and logistics, regardless of the channel or locale. Smith’s market expertise, custom supply chain services, and flexible logistics capabilities make your supply chain leaner, faster, and more efficient.

Specialized procurement solutions

Supplier selection and product sourcing are typically performed concurrently. By using historical product sourcing activities, suppliers are identified and selected based on their ability to meet the requirements of Smith’s customers. To assure that this objective is met, suppliers are formally selected, qualified, and continually evaluated using Smith’s digital supplier rating system (SRS). This proprietary software rates each supplier based on key performance metrics to ensure the authenticity of product.

Instant alert notifications help keep Smith’s procurement solutions on track. Smith’s sourcing supplier management team reviews suppliers monthly or as needed with automatic email alerts of discrepancies. Suppliers can be restricted to specific product types. Tariff alerts will also be displayed during the purchasing process.

Transparent and automated operational processes

Smith’s warehouses in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam utilize an automated climate-control system. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems at each facility are designed to provide an environment that minimizes the presence of static electricity. Real-time temperature and humidity tracking are available via the company’s internal, proprietary software. Computerized alerts are instantly displayed if temperature and humidity conditions are not within ESD-compliant range.

Adopting a freight management and logistics software at our Houston warehouse has allowed Smith to increase visibility into the movement of each individual order. Once material arrives from a supplier, Smith’s certified electronic component inspectors use mobile devices to scan the package’s airway bill and generate a barcode label associated with that specific purchase order. The unique label allows each product’s location to be easily tracked in our 58,000 square-foot warehouse and all throughout the delivery process with email updates to our sales representatives. The software also has the capability to digitally record the weight and dimensions of each box. Operational processes that used to be manual are now auto-populated, saving time and increasing efficiency.

Customizable and flexible service capabilities

Smith offers various inventory programs, all complete with online management tools. Customers under the program, have access to a secure portal for viewing their inventory by entering their unique username and password under MySmith from www.smithweb.com. The secure login gives customers visibility into product that has been shipped and what is on- hand at Smith’s warehouse.

Real-time, custom reports detailing aging analysis, current stock levels, reorder points, slow-moving parts, and delivery schedules are available in the inventory portal. With specialized part cross-referencing and inventory buffering tools, customers can also identify approved substitute parts in the event of price availability and fluctuations.

The majority of our IT software and capabilities are designed in-house and customizable for each partner, making Smith’s Intelligent Distribution™ model customer focused and simply smart.