Arrow Electronics, Inc. is a long-established technology distribution company headquartered in Centennial, Colorado. It began in 1935 as “Arrow Radio” on Manhattan’s Radio Row, selling radios and parts, and over time evolved from a storefront retailer into a global intermediary that helps companies source, integrate, and deploy complex technology.
Today, Arrow’s business is built around being a bridge between technology makers and the businesses that need their products—pairing broad catalog access with logistics, technical know-how, and value-added services that help customers move from “component selection” to “finished solution” more efficiently.
Operationally, Arrow reports two main segments: Global Components and Global Enterprise Computing Solutions (often branded as Arrow ECS). Through Global Components, it markets and distributes electronic components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers; through Global ECS, it provides enterprise computing solutions to channel partners such as value-added resellers (VARs) and managed service providers (MSPs).
The company’s reach is designed for scale: Arrow describes a worldwide footprint with more than 140 sales facilities and 36 distribution and value-added centers, serving customers across 85+ countries. That network matters because many customers rely on consistent availability, regional fulfillment, and supply-chain coordination—especially when product lifecycles are short and lead times can shift quickly.
A notable part of Arrow’s modern strategy is its emphasis on digital enablement for channel partners through Arrow ECS platforms—especially ArrowSphere, which is positioned as a cloud delivery and management platform that helps partners quote, provision, manage, and bill across multi-vendor solutions, alongside broader marketplace and automation capabilities. In that sense, Arrow pairs “physical” distribution scale with “software” workflows intended to reduce friction from procurement through ongoing subscription and renewal management.