History

Smith opens its first office in Tokyo, Japan
Smith Memory division launched
Smith participates in development of IDEA-STD-1010-A
all Smith facilities exceed standard at its inception

Smith secures ISO 14001:2004 Certification
Smith adds its first Business Development Director in Japan to support business in the region
Global sales for Smith once again exceeded $500 million
Purchasing Magazine, Electronic Business, and Electronics Supply and Manufacturing all ranked Smith & Associates the top independent electronic component distributor
Smith ranked among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Houston by Houston Business Journal

Smith celebrates 20 years of Global Semiconductor Distribution and Services
Smith's first office in the People's Republic of China opens in Shanghai
Electronic Business and Purchasing magazines rank Smith the No. 1 independent North American electronic component distributor
Smith is the only independent distributor ranked among Electronic Business’ top 10 North American distributors
Smith expands its presence at the Electronica trade show in Munich
Smith's global sales exceed $500 million, a first for any independent electronic component distributor

Smith is admitted into US Customs' elite Importer Self Assessment (ISA) program and remains the only electronics company that has qualified to enter this program
Smith opens office in New York, New York
Purchasing magazine ranks Smith the No. 1 independent North American electronic component distributor
Smith's Silicon Valley, California facility relocates to accommodate logistics expansion

Smith secures ISO 9001:2000 Certification
Smith exhibits at Electronica in Munich
Smith adds a European-based Business Development Director to support business in the region
Smith expands Amsterdam Consignment Warehouse June 1 - Allowing up to 150,000 square feet for consignment/excess inventory
Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith as the No. 1 Non-Franchised Distributor on annual "Top 50 Distributors" list
Purchasing Magazine ranks Smith as the No. 1 Independent Distributor on annual “Top Independent Distributors” list
Smith Market Watch redeveloped: April 1, first issue of Smith Market Watch 2.0 released

Smith is named a Top Global Importer by U.S. Customs
Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the Top Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
Corporate Security division is created
Houston headquarters expanded to include a warehouse for consigned inventory
Smith Amsterdam relocated to facility with more space for logistics and inventory and equipped with the latest technological infrastructure
Smith Barcelona moved into a large facility and more than doubles size of sales and purchasing team

Smith opens offices in Barcelona, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Guadalajara
Smith dedicates 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse to handle OEM & CEM consignment/excess inventories
Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the #2 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
Express Components and ExStock divisions consolidate as SmithMart.com®
SmithMart.com® OEM excess/surplus auction site launched
Smith's debut exhibit at Electronica in Munich
Employees number over 250 by the end of the year

Smith & Associates marks its15th anniversary
Smith’s Amsterdam office opens
Electronic Buyers' News again ranks Smith the #1 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
Purchasing Magazine ranks Smith as the #1 Independent Distributor
Texas Technology magazine ranks Smith & Associates above Dell and Compaq in its "Sizzling 60" issue
Reel Technology merges with Smith's renovated Operations facility, warehouse expanded

Revenues top record $470 million
Current Technology magazine lists Smith in its "Texas Top 100," along with companies such as Dell, Compaq, Alcatel and GTE
Electronic Buyers' News ranks Smith the #1 Non-Franchised Distributor in its "Top 50 Distributors" issue
Electronic Business magazine lists Smith as the #1 Independent Distributor in the "Top 25 Distributors" issue

Annual revenues hit record $373 million
Company moves into new 60,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art world headquarters in Houston
First major international office opens in Hong Kong
Smith once again ranks as a top distributor in Electronic Buyers’ News and in Electronic Business Today
SmithWeb launched; Smith Market Watch® debuts on the Web

Reel Technology formed -- Smith's division offering value-added services
Smith ranked as the #2 Non-Franchised Distributor in Electronic Buyers' News and in Electronic Business Today's "Top 100 Distributors" issue
ExStock division created to purchase and resell excess/surplus products for OEM & CEM customers
Smith moves up in the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies -- ranked # 49

Smith doubles revenues each year from $30 million in 1992 to $367 million in 1995
Smith breaks into the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies -- ranked at # 219
Early 1995: Smith named to "World Trade 100," a list of the top 100 world trading companies
Employees number over 100 by end of 1995
Mid-1994: Smith ranked 23rd in the "Houston 100," a list of the top 100 privately-owned companies making the greatest impact on Houston
Express Components division formed to focus on Distributor and Broker sales

Smith grows to 35 employees and becomes one of the first US Independent Distributors to focus on buying and selling outside the USA
Smith moves twice, ending up in a 15,000 sq. ft. facility in Houston

Smith & Associates founded by brothers Bob and Lee Ackerley with their wives in Bob's home in Houston, Texas
Ackerleys close their first sale before their fledgling distribution company has a name -- they use Nora Ackerley's (Bob's wife) real estate company to invoice the deal. The name of that real estate business, of course, was N.F. Smith & Associates
By the end of 1984 Smith had grown to 10 employees and leased its first office space

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