New Database Ranks Top-100 Contract Manufacturers

Compiled ByPeter Strozniak Business research firm IDC, Framingham, Mass., has developed a new database of the world's top-100 contract manufacturers in the electronics industry. The database can be used by OEMs that plan to outsource and need to partner with a contract manufacturer, says Kevin Kane, IDC's project manager for contract manufacturing services. The rankings of the top-100 contract manufacturers are based on the revenues they generated in 2000. The database, updated quarterly, also contains corporate and financial information about each company. The industry segments include computers, telecommunications, consumer, servers/storage, networking ,and peripherals. "This is a huge decision to outsource any part of your business," Kane says. "This [database] is a tool to help [OEMs] with the first step in getting to the point where they are ready to do the due diligence on a company." The database also can be used by contract manufacturers as a benchmarking tool.