Online community aims to make fake parts obsolete

Set up by Network Product Solutions (NPS), a start up company based in the US, the Trusted Global Buyers Network (TGBN) lets electronic engineers and buyers share their experiences with suppliers by rating them based on their quality, compliance controls, trustworthiness and warranty. The idea is that users can ensure that the products they're buying are legit and find new sources of inventory. There are also tools and resources to help them better navigate the supply chain and talk directly to suppliers to locate hard-to-find-parts. "Today, buyers purchase parts from independent distributors primarily when they cannot find inventory at authorised sources," said Aimee Kalnoskas, director of marketing and communications at NPS. "Our vision is to be the first stop and primary destination on the web for electronic component buyers and electrical engineers who are trying to locate hard-to-find inventory. We also want to ensure that every member's design contains only quality, authentic, pedigree components by taking some of the grey out of the grey electronics market." The main reasons why people buy from unknown distributors, according to Kalnoskas, are obsolescence (it is estimated that around 50,000 electronic components become obsolete each year) and lead times (components aren't always sitting on the shelf and can take longer than expected to be delivered). By not acknowledging the necessity of the grey market, she believes manufacturers have left buyers to their own devices when determining what suppliers they can trust. "A lot of people tend to rely on web searches to find the parts they need," Kalnoskas continued. "Often, the most underhand companies have the best websites and this is causing quality challenges. The best way to help is to register for TGBN, fill out a profile, start asking/answering questions and begin sharing content." It's also worth noting that those who wish to remain anonymous can do so. "What we need is your experience and input; we don't need to know who you are or what you do." Kalnoskas concluded. For more information, or to get involved, go to www.tgbn.com.