Arrow Electronics Wins “Innovation of the Year” Award for Second Consecutive Year at Lean & Six Sigma World Conference

Arrow's Lean Sigma Continuous Process Improvement Leader Thomas Van Eimeren (right) accepts the "Innovation of the Year" award at the Lean & Six Sigma World Conference. This is Arrow's second consecutive year winning the award. (Photo: Business Wire)

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--()--For the second year in a row, Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW) walked away with “Innovation of the Year” honors last night at the Lean & Six Sigma World Conference, the leading conference on business process improvement.

Arrow won for its Lean Sigma Drones project, which combines drone technology, proprietary video technology and a rapid-improvement methodology to observe Arrow’s extensive warehouse operations from a birds-eye view and more effectively identify areas for continuous improvement. The project has already increased the efficiency of targeted processes by 82 percent and eliminated more than 6.5 million walking steps in warehouse processes since Arrow launched it in late 2016.

Employee feedback spurred the innovative drone project—Arrow warehouse employees reported it was much easier to observe processes and identify areas for improvement from a higher vantage point. Using drones, they can now see more than they ever could before, and all in 4K resolution.

“Arrow Electronics is always on the lookout for innovative new ways to improve its logistics services and better meet the needs of our customers and suppliers around the world,” said Mary Beth Edwards, vice president of Arrow’s global business operations. “We are honored to once again be recognized by the Lean & Six Sigma Conference for guiding innovation forward.”

Arrow won the award last year for its Lean Sigma Global Logistics Olympics. Both projects are creating a fun, competitive, continuous process-improvement environment across Arrow’s growing global logistics network and were conceived of by Arrow’s Top 25 Lean Sigma Practitioner Thomas Van Eimeren, who accepted the award last night on Arrow’s behalf.

The annual Lean & Six Sigma Conference attracts international and national experts on topics including innovation, process improvement and value creation that play a major role in improving efficiencies, increasing profitability and improving customer experience across a variety of industries.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 100,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 460 locations serving over 85 countries. Learn more at www.fiveyearsout.com.

Arrow’s dedicated global logistics services business helps to create a competitive advantage for customers with tailored supply chain solutions, best-in-class global capabilities and excellence in execution. Customers can benefit from improved efficiency, flexibility, scalability and reliability; reduced risk and total costs; and an improved ability to focus on critical priorities while Arrow handles their logistics function. Learn more at www.arrow.com/en/arrow-services/logistics-services.

Contacts

Arrow Electronics
Meghan Macdonald, 303-824-4589
mmacdonald@arrow.com

Release Summary

Arrow won the “Innovation of the Year” award last night at the Lean & Six Sigma World Conference, the leading conference on business process improvement. Arrow won for its Lean Sigma Drones project.

Contacts

Arrow Electronics
Meghan Macdonald, 303-824-4589
mmacdonald@arrow.com