BENEFITS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR MEMBERS

afdec offers the following benefits, support and services to members:

   Bishop Reports on the connector industry
   Europartners Reports on the distribution and electronics markets
   ProChannel CRM software

BAD DEBT CONTROL

Distributor Members

afdec chairs separate confidential meetings between credit controllers of afdec member companies every eight weeks in London at a venue that can be easily accessed via public transport. The purpose of these meetings is to exchange information about bad debts and all information is exchanged on the clear and agreed understanding that it is for the benefit of the credit controllers only and is not available to sales/marketing personnel.

Component Manufacturer Members

afdec has commenced a series of bad-debt control meetings designed for the Sustaining Members (the Component Manufacturers).  These meetings are designed to materially assist in reducing the industry's risk of bad debt.


STATISTICS

afdec publishes regular market statistics and an annual forecast to its members only. For more information, go to the statistics page.


DISTRIBUTOR AGREEMENT

afdec publishes a standard industry agreement which is regularly updated.


PROJECTS

afdec regularly carries out special studies of the electronics industry.  For example a recent study highlighted the requirements of the Contract Manufacturing sector in terms of component purchasing requirements.

afdec has number of initiatives designed to encourage component suppliers to improve their packaging to make it more suitable for distribution purposes.  One example relates to semiconductors and afdec has worked closely with NEDA, in the USA, to generate standards for commercial semiconductor packaging including such basic factors as the number of devices in each tube.

In addition afdec has prepared and circulated a specification for the dry packaging of new generation semiconductor products where manufacturers' packs have to be broken down into smaller quantities.

The current major afdec project is on the implications of RoHS for the industry.


INTERNATIONAL

Members of afdec are automatically affiliated to the International Distribution of Electronics Association (IDEA), a new "association of associations" with its headquarters in Milan.  The afdec Chairman, Gary Kibblewhite, is currently Chairman of this Association and, as such, can link members with individual members/associations across the world.


TRAINING

afdec markets training media ranging from books to interactive videos covering such areas as semiconductors, connectors and passive components.


BUSINESS SUPPORT HELPLINE

Through IRPC, afdec offers members a full business support helpline covering tax and PAYE, vat, payroll, NI, employment law, health and safety, commercial law etc. All afdec members are issued with a contact phone number and an identifier.


NETWORKING DINNERS

The quarterly afdec networking dinners are now a standard within the electronics industry and have been taking place regularly since 1971.  They are now held at the Marriott Hotel at Slough, just off junction5 of the M4. Leading personalities from all sectors of the electronics and allied industries are invited to speak at the events.  They regularly attract over 150 management personnel from the component manufacturing and distribution industry and provide a unique opportunity for discussion of topical issues.


PUBLICATIONS

Lists of members, advantages and benefits documentation, etc. are published on a regular basis.


EXHIBITIONS

afdec supports the annual "Nepcon" exhibition in Brighton. An afdec stand is a regular feature at the shows.  afdec members also have the opportunity to participate in local business exhibitions and workshops.


A list of distributor members is available via the search pages. A list of sustaining members is available here.