Allied Electronics & Automation, an authorized distributor of industrial automation, interconnect, cabling, and electromechanical products, turns 90 this weekend and announced to employees that a warehouse expansion is planned.
The company, originally founded July 21, 1928 in Chicago as the radio distribution arm of Columbia Radio, moved to Fort Worth, TX in 1970 when it was purchased by Tandy Corp. It is now part of the $1.7 billion London-based distributor, Electrocomponents, serving under the Allied banner in the Americas and RS Components around the rest of the globe.
Perhaps indicative of how the pace of the world in general—and the business environment in particular—has changed, Allied President Steve Newland shared in a company email that in 1928, the lifespan of a business was 67 years, but today it is only 15 years. “It takes passion, desire, and commitment to execute on a company vision that will carry on for generations,” Newland said in his email.
At a “town hall meeting” for employees to mark the anniversary, Allied executive management announced plans for a future warehouse expansion at the company’s current site in Fort Worth.
Specific details of the expansion project were not revealed, but the existing 357,000-square-foot office and distribution center in Fort Worth carries more than 150,000 on-shelf products. Online, the company offers some 3.5 million parts from 300-plus suppliers.
The company hinted at more announcements planned in coming weeks.
(Source: Allied Electronics & Automation)