Ingram Micro 2001 Annual Report Download - page 8

It‘s the instantaneous connection of manufacturers to marketplaces
Ingram Micro is a global market leader with a vast network of resources
and infrastructure unrivaled in the industry. This means that wherever
technology is helping people accomplish more, we serve as the vital
connection between manufacturer and customer, between problem
and solution, between idea and reality.
A STRATEGICALLY PIVOTAL YEAR IN EUROPE.
A year after the formation of Ingram Micro Networking Services, our specialized pan-European enterprise initiative for networking
and communication products, we were selected by Cisco as one of seven distributors that will serve the entire continent. The
Networking Services Division provides customers with services like product consulting, sales support and training, project man-
agement, and technical and customer support, in addition to product. ”Vendors like Cisco are realizing the value of a pan-European
approach through multi-market distributors like Ingram Micro over local distribution,” says Greg Spierkel, president, Ingram Micro
Europe. “Through strategic acquisition we have added critical mass to our networking division, expanding our capabilities and
furthering our goal of becoming the strongest networking distributor in Europe, particularly in the small-to-midsized business market.”
MEXICO TAKES A MAJOR STEP TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES.
Ingram Micro is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to improve efficiencies in its global operations. This year, our Latin
America operations identified such an opportunity with their state-of-the-art distribution center in Mexico City. The new facility,
a consolidation of four previous centers, offers benefits that go beyond the traditional distribution channel. Ingram Micro business
partners in Mexico will be able to use the new facilities to carry out their fulfillment, storage, distribution, configuration and
assembly operations. “The successful consolidation of this distribution center demonstrates our commitment to providing our
customers with quality service and solutions,” explains Luis Feres, director of operations, Ingram Micro Mexico.
CAPITALIZING ON OPPORTUNITIES IN A GROWING ASIAN MARKET.
According to International Data Corporation (IDC), China’s entry into the World Trade Organization will help ensure that its
25 percent annual IT spending growth continues for years. By 2010, IDC expects China to be the third largest IT market in the
world.* We saw the potential in Asia-Pacific and acquired an interest in Electronic Resources Limited, based in Singapore, in
1997. Since then, we have concentrated on building an infrastructure that supports our long-term strategy for leadership in
this region, particularly in China and India. “Asia-Pacific represents significant opportunities with the right processes and
people in place,” says Hans Koppen, president, Ingram Micro Asia-Pacific. “We are building our business there exponentially,
to keep up with the exploding demand.” *IDC Telebriefing Predictions 2002: “Will the Fog of War Lift?,” January, 2002.
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