Fr manufacturers, the question is almost as old as engineers' make-or-buy dilemma: use in-house support lor commit to a distributor? The latter is attractive in a time when global reach and rapid turnaround are necessary in order to compete and crow, but there are implications for both the manufacturers and the designers using the product in terms of reputation, intellectual property protection, design support and trust. A case in point: In June, Vicor (Andover, Mass.) committed to Future Electronics, making the Canadian company its global distributor for all of its power conversion devices. The phased rollout began in August. It was a big move for Vicor, which to date had been its own distributor within the United States while relying solely on smaller, specialty distributors, such as Craftec and ACAL Technology, elsewhere. Vicor traditionally has been self-reliant, keeping all its intellectual property, as well as its manufacturing, in-house to maintain a tight inner circle and thereby avoid the risk of exposing its road maps to anyone who might take the knowledge elsewhere. Now, in a quick turnabout, it's "going all-in" with Future globally, said Rich Begen, vice president of distribution at Vicor.
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