This is a part of the 2015 Distribution Trends Special Issue. The annual feature was researched and written by MDM editors based on interviews with dozens of distributors, as well as industry experts and manufacturers. MDM also conducted a survey of its readers to uncover the trends outlined in this issue.

2015 Distribution Trends Special Issue

Sensors are all the rage. From casual wearables such as the Fitbit to more sophisticated medical technology, sensors are everywhere, says Ed Smith, president of Electronics Marketing Americas for Avnet Inc., Phoenix, AZ. This trend is especially beneficial for distributors like Avnet that handle sensor technology from the "edge to the enterprise," meaning they not only distribute the product but also process the data those sensors receive.

"Not as sexy as the app companies" but still an attractive career option is how Smith describes the industry's recruitment of millennials against Silicon Valley giants. "We're a little bit of an older, more mature industry, so trying to get younger employees is really a challenge," he says. With this in mind, electronics distributors are ramping up their internship programs as one way to get in front of college students early.

The Internet of Things and its use of embedded technology should be a key growth driver for the electronics sector.

Counterfeiting continues to be a significant issue for the industry. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2014, which made selling counterfeit parts to the government contract fraud, has helped somewhat, but private-sector companies are still exposed to counterfeiting and need to take a collaborate approach to fighting it.