Andrews Electronics had its beginnings
in 1950, starting from what seemed to be a most adequate plant in Burbank, to
serve the Radio/Television repair industry in California's growing San Fernando
Valley.
It was the first independent distributor in the area to stock OEM
replacement parts and, to this day, is still expanding the number of available
lines.
The demands on the young company forced a move to larger quarters
in a very short time, and even those new facilities had to be repeatedly
enlarged over the following 30 years. In 1982 Andrews found itself occupying a
23,000 square foot building to accommodate its expansion. A significant step
was again taken in 1988 when the firm relocated to its present 50,000 square
foot building. Miles of shelving are arranged for immediate identification of
and easy accessibility to the over 250,000 different parts available.
Maintaining an inventory of this size has been the cornerstone of
our success as the OEM parts distribution industry leader. It provides us with
an average first pass fill rate of above 90% and makes us the largest supplier
in America for the manufacturers that we represent. Our fill rate is calculated
on not only everything that is ordered but also on every call or fax that we
receive for availability, even if it isn't ordered! Our dealer order desk has
32 available sales representatives to handle all of your ordering needs.
An in-house computer system, with custom-designed programs to suit
the firm's special needs, keeps track of all inventory and accounting records.
Each employee has a separate terminal with its own display and keyboard, so
that all necessary information is literally at everyone's fingertips.
Extensive cross-referencing from make/model number to part number
and from parts descriptions to specific parts identification is maintained in
the computer. A separate room houses a vast research library, stocked with
service literature and manuals, catalogs, cross-referenced data, etc. Many
sources are used, from printed form to microfiche, as well as notes compiled
over the years by Andrews personnel.
The same management principles which opened the
company's doors in 1950 are still guiding it today. Andrews Electronics
pioneered a computerized system of controlling and up-dating inventory and
order processing which gained the reputation as the "stockingest" distributor
around.
Andrews is one of the old-timers in a relatively young field, a
wholesaler whose seasoned staff has combined old-fashioned principles with
innovative and fresh ideas along with the latest in technology.
Now there's a definite difference.