element14 Premier Farnell extends line card to distribute ARM system design solutions in the Americas

23 January 2011 – London, Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl), a leading high-service distributor of technology products and solutions, today announced it has entered into an agreement to distribute ARM development tools, software, evaluation boards and debug hardware across the Americas through its Newark element14 brand. As a result of the deal, Premier Farnell will be adding ARM products to its portfolio of electronic design solutions available in the region.

With the addition of ARM products, Premier Farnell strengthens its position as a source of engineering knowledge and solutions that improve design productivity, with the industry’s leading suppliers of design solutions. Premier Farnell’s technical support engineers will receive training on ARM system design tools to provide first line support for customers when product sales launch in early 2012.

“We are pleased to build on our excellent relationship with Premier Farnell to make ARM system design solutions available to Premier Farnell’s design engineering community in the Americas,” said Mark Onions, director of marketing, system design division, ARM. “Premier Farnell’s innovative approach of combining the power of community and designer engagement with ecommerce adds great value to the wider ARM ecosystem.”

Speaking about the agreement David Shen, Chief Technology Officer at Premier Farnell, said “This announcement continues to demonstrate our commitment to the design engineering community, bringing together the best suppliers with truly innovative routes-to-market. ARM is a global leader whose technology is at the forefront of embedded systems designs and we are delighted to be working with them.”

About Premier Farnell

Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) is a global leader in high service distribution of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair. Its differentiated proposition includes 29 local language transactional websites, and the critically important element14 Community for design engineers – an industry first (www.element14.com). With sales last year of £990.8m and underlying profits of £93.3m the Group distributes its comprehensive portfolio of products and services throughout Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, supported by a global supply chain of over 3,500 suppliers and an inventory profile developed to anticipate and meet its customers’ needs.

While global in scope, Premier Farnell recognises the individual needs of each market and has continued to internationalise its model accordingly. It trades locally as Farnell in Europe, Newark/element14 in North America and Mexico and Farnell Newark in Brazil. Across Asia Pacific the business trades as element14.

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