Smith Expands Asian Distribution Center’s Inspection and IT Asset Disposition Capabilities

Smith increases its Hong Kong hub’s footprint by more than 70 percent

Houston, TX (August 24, 2021) – Smith, a global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces the expansion of its Asian distribution center in Hong Kong. This significant investment will offer 15,000 square feet of additional space, which will be used to double the capacity of the hub’s existing inspection and testing facilities, install data-wiping and erasure-verification equipment, and bolster the company’s vendor-managed inventory program in the region.

“Smith has been operating out of Hong Kong since 1997, and our presence in the APAC region has never been stronger than it is today,” said Terry Fu, Smith’s Vice President of Operations and Counterfeit Detection, Asia. “The expansion of our Asian distribution center will help us continue to provide the top-tier quality and service our customers have come to expect from Smith.”

The project includes the addition of a SmithSecure room to safely and securely wipe and verify hard drives and SSDs using Smith’s proprietary SWIPE^SM solution, mirroring the services available at the company’s Houston and Amsterdam locations. Smith has also expanded its order-processing area and installed several new and duplicate pieces of inspection equipment:

• Keyence handheld barcode scanners
• Keyence microscope
• Seamark X-6600A x-ray machine
• RTI MultiTrace Century curve tracer
• RKD Cu ESD protection decapsulation unit and fume hood
• 5 HD TAGARNO ZAP digital microscopes

These additions will help support significant increases in order volume spurred by the ongoing semiconductor shortages. Since January, the company has been aggressively hiring for its Asian operational hub, with plans to increase the location’s workforce by 70 percent in total.

“The expanded facilities, equipment, services, and workforce at our Hong Kong distribution center will provide tremendous support for Smith as we continue to grow and innovate,” said Terry. “We are excited to bring these state-of-the-art investments to our customers and help them address the unprecedented supply chain challenges impacting the industry.”

About Smith

Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 16 cities around the world, Smith’s legion of employees communicates in 50 languages and dialects and buys and sells components 24 hours per day, generating global annual sales in excess of $1.39 billion. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. The support of Smith’s flexible Intelligent Distribution^TM model optimizes customers’ supply chains from beginning to end, including offering customized options for IT asset disposition that deliver maximum ROI, sustainability, and security. Smith’s testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam cover critical areas like quality management, counterfeit prevention, and environmental safety. Smith’s operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the company’s global IT infrastructure, offering real-time, global inventory and logistics visibility. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number nine among all global distributors. For more information, please visit www.smithweb.com or reach out to a Smith representative any time of day at +1 713.430.3000.

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For more information, contact:

Rich Witmer
Smith, Senior Director of Marketing
+1 713.430.2141
[email protected]