Interview with Mr. Natarajan MM, Vice President of South Asia, Arrow Asia-Pacific components business.
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Discuss Arrow leadership in accelerating the power of innovations that will shape future?
Electronics are converging on everything. Just look at the exciting market growth opportunities. This year, the number of mobile devices is expected to exceed the world’s population. Tablet users will grow 90%. Mobile subscriptions will hit 6.5 billion. Soon, smartphones will surpass PCs as the device of choice for Internet access. A startling ninety percent of the users keep their devices continuously at hand and complete multiple interactions by the hour or even by the minute. By 2020, 25 billion “devices/machines/things” will be linked to the Internet.
For examples:
We are working with these innovators every day:
- Our lighting total solutions make it possible to light up every household in developing communities with energy efficient LED lighting technology
- Our wireless connectivity solutions enable more machine-to-machine applications to market faster and more cost-effective
- Our automotive solutions reduce ozone emission and create a cleaner environment
- Our power and energy solutions help bring to the market more alternative energy sources
- More smartphone connections
- Improved automobile performance
- More efficiency gains of industrial equipment
- Valuable uptime for lifesaving medical equipment
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What technologies and trends you will consider for next few years?
IDC predicts that the drive for innovation through IT is resulting in increasing investment in third-platform technologies such as Big Data analytics, cloud, mobility, and social networks. Nearly every industry in our economy will be profoundly impacted by new or reinvented business models and innovations empowered by these emerging technologies. Arrow is uniquely positioned as an ecosystem builder to help solution providers manage technological complexities and advance their businesses to seamlessly fit the ever-changing, opportunity-rich landscape. Arrow offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions from many of the world’s foremost technology suppliers, complemented with industry-leading resources, tools and service support.
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What do you think about IoT and M2M which drives future apps?
Gartner forecasts that 4.9 billion connected things will be in use in 2015, up 30 percent from 2014, and will reach 25 billion by 2020. To help customers better capture unprecedented market opportunities, we have developed 20+ M2M and IoT reference solutions for applications ranging from wearables, automotive, lighting, industrial automation, smart energy to power. We have a solid understanding of the Third-Platform Technologies eco-system and have established collaboration with not just IDH partners but also service/system integrators to enable business models to support software and apps development, We are working with some of the most innovative global suppliers such as Qualcomm, NXP, ST, TI….etc.
The application varieties in IoT area are tremendous and new comers to the ecosystem may not have enough solution expertise to build a complete application. This is where Arrow comes in. We provide our customers with a comprehensive approach and connected solution framework to help them develop a new generation of connected intelligent devices.
For example, traditional lighting customers who are experts in optics and analog may have difficulty mastering the wireless connectivity in smart lighting.
Infotainment ODMs may have limitation developing a complete solution for connected car with cloud service.
From chips to sensors, wireless connection to secure communication network, boards to operating systems, modules to design libraries, firmware to middleware, protocol to intuitive user interface, we offer complete turnkey solutions, engineering expertise, and vertical market knowledge that customers need to bring their innovations to life
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Considering Automotive, what are your views on the market growth and advancements of technology in this sector?
According to HIS report, in India’s automotive segment, Infotainment: Connectivity & Telematics and Chassis & Safety: ADAS are the high-growth applications with 33% and 25% YoY increase over 2014.
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We know about SAM project, what is Arrow idea in bringing it for people?
SAM project is not a story about racing. It’s about freedom. It is about how we can help individuals to solve their problems, leveraging innovative interconnected technologies. The SAM vehicle is designed to restore independence, control and a sense of accomplishment to a qualified disabled driver despite the physical limitations imposed by injury. This technology breaks down barriers and opens new physical and emotional horizons, allowing all of us to be the drivers of our own lives.
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How are your promoting your partners for bringing the innovations?
As a global leading distributor, our global footprint, world-class supply chain and logistics, design engineering expertise, and our entire technology lifecycle portfolio enable us to work even more effectively with manufacturers to deliver their value proposition to customers.
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How are you motivating your team to bring innovative culture?
Three years, we conducted an internal global employee survey. The response from the survey formed the base of our strategic direction of “guiding innovation forward’ and our global branding efforts. This is the strategy embraced by our employees that sets us apart from our competitors.
Our world is ever-changing and constantly evolving. It’s hard to keep up, let alone get ahead. Most people live in the present, the world of now, but a handful of us work in a unique world that doesn’t quite exist yet – the world of Five Years Out. Arrow is a collaborative force that pioneers innovation, keeping us ahead of what’s ahead. Five Years Out is a way of thinking about the world unique to the people who are building it. And the people who live and work there know that new technologies, new materials, new ideas and new electronics will make life not only different, but better. Not just cheaper, but smarter. Not just easier, but more inspired.
Five Years Out is not 15 or 20 years from now, because that’s science fiction. And it’s not tomorrow, because tomorrow is practically yesterday. It is that special place in the very tangible future where what’s possible meets what’s practical.
Living in the world of Five Years Out enables us to help our customers and partners stay ahead of what’s ahead, thus helping them to define this future of tangible possibility.
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What are the key achievements you would like to share about your innovations?
- In December 2014, Arrow Electronics’ SAM Project won 2014 Institution of Engineering and Technology Award held in London.
- Arrow’s Web-based product life cycle services platform is named to the 2014 InformationWeek Elite 100. The InformationWeek Elite 100 spotlights the most innovative users of information technology. The theme of this year’s rankings is digital business, including customer-focused technologies. Powered by one of the industry’s most comprehensive components databases, and available via arrow.com, the Arrow platform places millions of electronic components at the fingertips of key decision makers throughout the entire product lifecycle process, from design, to purchase, to after-sales.
- Arrow has recently been positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the “Leaders” quadrant of the “Magic Quadrant for IT Asset Disposition, Worldwide.” A clear market recognition and external validation of Arrow’s leadership in this arena.
- Arrow has been named to the Fortune magazine “World’s Most Admired Companies” for the 14th consecutive year. Arrow topped the list in the “Wholesalers: Electronics and Office Equipment” category based on input from peer companies and industry influencers. Arrow is also ranked 138 in Fortune 500.
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Do you feel any challenges with respect to technology and market?
Our everyday challenge is how we can bring our customer’s innovations to life with our market offerings in a better, smarter and more inspired way.
Our strategy has always been to provide extraordinary value to customers and suppliers – the best technology companies – and connect them through the company’s industry-leading services. Arrow provides specialized services and expertise across the product lifecycle. Our competitive advantages are our global scale, financial strength, extensive footprint across Asia-Pacific, deep understanding of the local market and experienced engineering resources and expertise, world-class supply chain services and a wide range of specialized services and expertise.
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Tell us about your future projects and innovations?
We are working with today’s innovators on everything from making our cities connected and smarter to improving our health without going to the doctor to keeping us connected without infringing on our privacy. Innovations inspire innovations. And this is just the beginning of solving bigger and broader problems in new and faster ways.
