Electronics Industry Marketing Groups

Electronics Industry Marketing Groups

ERA is arranged by geographic location (chapters) and the type of electronics sold (industry marketing groups). This section lists each group along with its products and customer bases.

Communications (COM)

Most ERA members in this group have radio communications backgrounds and system design orientations. This highly technical product base includes finished product hardware, communication accessories and a wide range of test and measuring equipment.

Land Mobile Radio – ACSB, SSB, trunking, cellular and radio common carriers, computer aided dispatch, antenna site management, cable, wire and connectors, antennas, lines and feed systems, R. F. test equipment.

Microwave Communication Systems – Microwave instruments, fiber optic, cable, wire and connectors, antennas, lines and feed systems, instruments and test equipment.

Marine – SSB, cable, wire and connectors, antennas, lines and feed systems, R.F. test equipment.

Satellite – Cable, wire and connectors, antennas, lines and feed systems, phones.

Cellular – Shelters, towers, UPS, surge protection, feedline, microwave, mobile and portable radios, antennas and accessories.

Telecommunications – Fiber optic cable accessories, cellular radio systems, cable, wire and connectors, multiplexers, fiber and R.F. test equipment.

Avionics – Cable, wire and connectors, antennas, lines and feed systems, R.F. test equipment.

Telephone Equipment – Central office and subscriber equipment, telephones, transmission, wire and cable, connectors, adaptors, splicing, pedestals, enclosures, test equipment and fiber optics.

Radio Datacom – Mobile data terminals, auto vehicle location systems, radio modems, packet and telemetry radios.

Law Enforcement – Recorders, radios, video, radio direction finders, vehicular and personal accessories.

Wireless PCS – Personal communications service terminals, antennas, accessories.

Customer Base
Federal, state and local governments, utilities, railroads, telephone companies, industrial users, hospitals and dealer/service organizations.

Components (CM)

ERA member firms handling products in this marketing group bring value to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by providing design-in assistance as well as complete order service management on material shipped directly from suppliers or through authorized distributors.

Passive Components – Includes capacitors, relays, passive displays, filters, switches, pots, magnetic devices, crystals/oscillators, inductors, sensors, shielding, gaskets, fiber optics, EMI/RFI products.

Interconnect – Card-edge, D-submin, IDCs, coax, cylindrical and fiber optic connectors, PC boards, wire and cable, ribbon cable, power cords.

Power Sources & Management – Batteries, battery management products, power supplies, heat sinks, fans and blowers, surge protection devices and power conditioners.

Manufacturing Services – Sub-contract assemblies, metal fabrication and enclosures, plastic fabrication, support services.

Customer Base
OEM customers, including companies that manufacture products for a multitude of markets including PCs and other computer families; the connectivity world of LANs, WANs and wireless offerings; all forms of telecommunications gear, including cellular; automotive and related subsystems; consumer, industrial control, medical and aerospace equipment.

Computer (CP)

Computers, mini- and micro-processor based systems, related peripheral equipment, plus the necessary software to implement the systems, are a major segment of the Computer Marketing Group. Manufacturers wishing to market computer-related products through an industrially oriented sales force should consider the Computer Group. Stand-alone systems have long been marketed through these technically trained representatives. Newer areas, such as data communications products, are a logical extension of their markets. Subsystems are also a special area of strength. The highly technical products handled by these engineering-oriented representatives are presented equally well to industrial customers, distributors, end users, government agencies and OEMs.

Small Office, Home Office

LAN Products

Multi-media and Graphics – CAD systems – 2D and 3D types, graphics, terminals, PC graphic products (autocad type) and board products.

Telecommunications – Telephone, WAN, teleconferencing.

Customer Base
End user, industrial, government, educational, aerospace, distributors/VAD, dealers, system/VAR, OEM.

Consumer Electronics (CE)

Due to the nature of its products, the Consumer Electronics Group’s marketplace is broad, covering retailers, distributors, specialty dealers and custom installers of electronic products. ERA Consumer Electronics Group reps sell to the following types of customers: CEDIA members; audio/video dealers and distributors; computer dealers and distributors; department stores; car stereo, TV/appliance, hardware, communications, games and toys, photographic and music retailers. Also covered are mass merchandisers, photographic houses, national accounts, national buying groups and drug store chains.

Consumer Audio – Home audio and home theater.

Consumer Video – Television, camcorders, video disc players and satellite systems.

Personal Entertainment – Portable audio and video.

Personal Communications – Telephone, fax, C.B. and personal two-way radio.

Automotive Electronics – Audio, security and accessories.

Accessories – Blank and pre-recorded audio and video tape, CDs, audio and video care products, audio and video storage products.

Personal Computer and Video Games – PC hardware and software, video game hardware and software, multi-media products and CD-ROM.

The Customer Base
Dealers and distributors (appliance, audio, automotive, car stereo, communications, computer, electronics, games, hobby, music, photo, radio and TV, records, toys and video), buying groups, department stores, drug store chains, mass merchandisers, national accounts and hardware chains, food chains.

(It should be noted that the Consumer Electronics Group representative generally does not call on the non-retail computer marketplace. However, when this does occur, the Consumer Electronics rep may also be found in the Locator under the Computer Marketing Group listing of his/her chapter section.)

Electronic Systems Integration Group (ESIG)

ESIG encompasses several industries surrounding broader headings. While the product group offers a huge variety of products, customer bases called on by reps typically are similar. These include distributors, dealers, OEMs and system integrators. ESIG Marketing Group members maintain close working relationships with customers to meet their technical, design and installation needs.

Sound – Sound reinforcement products, pro-audio, PA systems, telecom, teleconferencing, commercial sound products and test/service equipment.

Audio-Visual – Equipment and systems for professional presentations, LCD equipment, digital-base systems, editing, production, conferencing, teleconferencing, telecommunications.

Electronic Security – Equipment and systems for CCTV/CATV, fire and life safety, access control, signal devices, alarms, intrusion systems, and test/service equipment. Signal transference products and equipment such as fiber optics, IP, RF/wireless, microwave, coaxial, infrared, ultrasonic, photoelectric.

The Customer Base
Broadcast/studio, production and post-production houses, retail stores, education, hotels, residential, commercial, medical/hospital, churches, corrections, stadiums, transportation systems/departments, theaters/auditoriums, corporate boardroom, transportation providers, retail, restaurant, banks, TV and radio broadcasters.

Instrumentation & Sensors (IN)

Instrumentation and sensors representatives market product hardware and software for analog, digital and mixed signal applications from DC to microwave frequencies. Commonly used instrumentation interfaces include IEEE-488, RS-232, VXI and computer I/O bus structures.

Sensors – Transducers such as temperature and pressure sensors, accelerometers, displacement devices, encoders, etc., and related signal conditioners used for test, data acquisition, control and product design applications.

Data Acquisition and Control Systems – Sensors, transducers, signal conditioners, dataloggers, PC-based acquisition systems, process and environmental monitoring systems, data acquisition plug-in boards, scanners, interfaces, programmable controllers, software for acquisition, analysis and display.

Test and Measurement Instruments – Includes benchtop and programmable digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, interfaces and software, environmental test equipment, analog and digital waveform recorders, power supplies, frequency and network analyzers, switching matrices, calibrators and standards, fiber optics instrumentation, timing and telemetry equipment, amplifiers and filters, microprocessor development tools, logic analyzers, prom programmers, communications testers, power meters, EMI/RFI test equipment.

Quality/Production Test/ATE – Component and microelectronics testers, probers and test fixtures, handlers and sorters, bare board testers, functional/in-circuit board testers, burn-in systems and environmental chambers, inspection equipment.

Customer Base
Research, product design, military/aerospace, development, electronic manufacturing, quality assurance, government, education, process control and medical electronics. Products are used in OEM applications and by systems integrators.

Materials, Assembly, Production & Supply (MAP)

The Material, Assembly, Production, & Supply Group (MAPS) serves as the focal point of communication between manufacturers and representatives of equipment, supplies and services used in the production of electronic products. Members of this ERA group sell to O.E.M., end users, Contract Manufacturers and system integrators, either directly or through industrial and specialty distributors. The MAPS GROUP products and services are those used in the manufacturing process, but not usually considered a component of the manufacturer’s end product. The Material, Assembly, Production, & Supply Group will cover the following topics within the subsequent section groups: equipment and services related to the manufacturing of printed circuit fabrication, circuit assembly areas including inspection, contract manufacturing of assemblies and clean room equipment.

Capital Equipment – This section deals with the large automated and semi-automated equipment in the assembly of print circuit cards. This equipment usually costs $25,000 and more. This includes such items as pick and place equipment, reflow and wave solder equipment, conformal coating equipment, inline cleaners, clean rooms, PC board fabrication equipment, drilling equipment and conveyer systems.

Circuit Card Assembly – This section deals with non-capital equipment in the assembly of circuit cards. This includes such items as cleaning equipment, clean room equipment, assembly line tools, production furniture, chemicals, desoldering/repair/rework equipment, assembly services, solder equipment, solder, fluxes, hand tools, component preparation services and inspection equipment. Additional items covered in this section are ESD/EOS products including antistatic material, chemicals, flooring, ionization, shipping and storage materials and grounding devices.

Contract Manufacturing – This section deals with the services that are outsourced by the OEM. This includes, but is not limited to, circuit board manufacturing, component preparation, assembly services, repair services, final assembly service, cable assembly, design and testing.

PC Fabrication – This section coverts the material, products and services in the manufacturing of PC boards. This includes utilizing products such as chemicals, mats, environmental equipment, screen printers, laminates, plating and CAD/CAM equipment.

Customer Base
Aerospace/military, medical, computer, telecommunications, automotive and industrial controls.

RF/Microwave & Wireless (RF)

The RF/Microwave representative sells products spanning the frequency spectrum from a few MegaHertz to light. The products are used in signal processing and transmission of analog and digital information. Technically competent salespeople and engineers typically sell these products to design and systems engineers and other buyers for use in the manufacture and installation of products that include: terrestrial and satellite communications equipment; navigation equipment; electronic warfare; EMI/RFI test and signal processing instruments.

Such equipment is found in commercial and military aircraft, missiles, telephone and wireless communications, medical electronics and research laboratories. The RF/Microwave representative supports national, regional and local trade shows.

Components & Sub-Assemblies – Combinations of discrete devices to form mixers, amplifiers, detectors, couplers, hybrids, frequency converters, switches, isolators, circulators, oscillators, attenuators, SAW/crystal oscillators and filters.

Discrete Devices – Single function items such as diodes, laser diodes, transistors, capacitors, resistors, substrates and inductors.

Transmission Lines – Component interconnects: cable antennas, waveguide antennas, towers, anachoic and shielded chambers.

Microwave IC – GaAs high speed logic, fiber optic components, MIMIC, MMIC, foundry services.

Specialized Instrumentation – Instruments specially designed for RF/Microwave/Lightwave design and testing.

Customer Base
Commercial and military OEM, government, communications, educational, aerospace, medical, research, installers and distributors.

Semiconductors (SEMI)

ERA member firms handling products in this marketing group bring value to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by providing design-in assistance as well as complete order service management on material shipped directly from suppliers or through authorized distributors.

Active Components – Encompasses all forms of semiconductor devices including microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory products, customized arrays, programmable logic, standard logic, linears, laser diodes, LEDs, other discrete semiconductors and active displays.

Customer Base
PCs and other computer families; the connectivity world of LANs, WANs and wireless offerings; all forms of telecommunications gear, including cellular; automotive and related subsystems; consumer, industrial control, medical and aerospace equipment.