Study Shows Digi-Key on the Minds of Design Engineers

Names Digi-Key Best in Class in 12 of 17 Product and Service Areas

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minnesota - July 14, 2009 — When asked to rate their suppliers, design engineers participating in this year's US Design Engineer and Supplier Interface study put electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation at the top of the heap in 12 of the 17 product and service area categories.

This fifth annual study conducted by Hearst Electronics Group and Channel Media & Marketing Research provides insight into the perceptions of electronic design engineers on industry products and services. More than 1,000 US engineers participated in this year's study, which was completed in March.

Digi-Key received best-in-class ratings in the following service categories: Broadest Overall Product Selection, Data & Product Selection Support Value of Website Content for Design Support, Website that is Easy to Navigate, Offering Competitive Prices, Stock Available for Immediate Delivery, and Consistent On-Time Delivery. Additionally, when asked which supplier comes to mind for semiconductors, power sources, electromechanical components, interconnects, and passives, electronic design engineers named Digi-Key most frequently in every product category.

"We are pleased with the results of this study," said Mark Larson, Digi-Key president and COO. "Throughout Digi-Key's history, we have strived to provide our customers with the best possible services, concentrating on the key areas of product selection and availability, on-time delivery, and responsiveness. These results substantiate our efforts and show that we are going in the right direction in providing customers with the products they need and the service they deserve."

"We have done this study over the last five years and have seen some significant changes in how engineers want and get information and services from suppliers," said Bill Barron, vice president, Hearst Business Media. "The one thing that has not changed is Digi-Key's leading position in the hearts and minds of the electronic engineering community. They consistently score either first or among the highest suppliers in providing services to engineers in not just this year's study but all we've done since 2004. One would have to conclude from these results over the years Digi-Key is not only marketing that they provide these services but delivering on what they say."

About Digi-Key Corporation

One of the world's fastest growing distributors of electronic components, Digi-Key has earned its reputation as an industry leader through its total commitment to service and performance. As a full-service provider of both prototype/design and production quantities of electronic components, Digi-Key has been ranked #1 for Overall Performance for 17 consecutive years from among the nation's more than 200 distributors (EE Times Distribution Study/August 2008). Offering more than 1.5 million products from nearly 400 quality name-brand manufacturers, Digi-Key's commitment to inventory is unparalleled. Access to the company's broad product offering is available 24/7 at Digi-Key's top-rated website, www.digikey.com.