Richardson Electronics Ltd's Business Segments

Richardson Electronics, Ltd. is a leading global provider of engineered solutions, power grid and microwave tubes and related consumables; power conversion and RF and microwave components; high value displays, flat panel detector solutions and replacement parts for diagnostic imaging equipment; and customized display solutions. We serve customers in the alternative energy, healthcare, aviation, broadcast, communications, industrial, marine, medical, military, scientific and semiconductor markets. The Company’s strategy is to provide specialized technical expertise and “engineered solutions” based on our core engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The Company provides solutions and adds value through design-in support, systems integration, prototype design and manufacturing, testing, logistics, and aftermarket technical service and repair through its global infrastructure.

Power and Microwave Technologies Group

Power and Microwave Technologies Group (“PMT”), launched in July 2015, combines Electron Device Group’s (“EDG”) core engineered solutions, power grid and microwave tube business with new RF and power technologies. As a manufacturer and authorized distributor, PMT’s strategy is to provide specialized technical expertise and engineered solutions based on our core engineering and manufacturing capabilities. We provide solutions and add value through design-in support, systems integration, prototype design and manufacturing, testing, logistics, and aftermarket technical service and repair—all through our existing global infrastructure. PMT’s focus is on products for power, RF and microwave applications for customers in alternative energy, aviation, broadcast, communications, industrial, marine, medical, military, scientific, and semiconductor markets. PMT focuses on various applications including broadcast transmission, CO2 laser cutting, diagnostic imaging, dielectric and induction heating, high energy transfer, high voltage switching, plasma, power conversion, radar, and radiation oncology. PMT also offers its customers technical services for both microwave and industrial equipment.

PMT represents leading manufacturers of electron tubes and components used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and industrial power applications. Among the suppliers they support are Amperex, CPI, Draloric, Eimac, General Electric, Hitachi, Jennings, L3, MaCom, National, NJRC, Thales, Toshiba, and Vishay.

PMT’s inventory levels reflect our commitment to maintain an inventory of a broad range of products for customers who are buying products for replacement of components used in critical equipment. PMT also sells a number of products representing trailing edge technology. While the market for these trailing edge technology products is declining, PMT is increasing its market share. PMT often buys products it knows it can sell ahead of any supplier price increases. As manufacturers for these products exit the business, PMT has the option to purchase a substantial portion of their remaining inventory.

PMT has distribution agreements with many of its suppliers; most of these agreements provide exclusive distribution rights which often include global responsibility. The agreements are typically long term, and usually contain provisions permitting termination by either party if there are significant breaches which are not cured within a reasonable period of time. Although some of these agreements allow PMT to return inventory periodically, others do not, in which case PMT may have obsolete inventory that they cannot return to the supplier.

In addition to third party products, we sell proprietary products principally under certain trade names we own including: Amperex®, Cetron®, and National®. Our proprietary products include thyratrons and rectifiers, power tubes, ignitrons, magnetrons, phototubes, microwave generators, and liquid crystal display monitors. The materials used in the manufacturing process consist of glass bulbs and tubing, nickel, stainless steel and other metals, plastic and metal bases, ceramics, and a wide variety of fabricated metal components. These materials are generally readily available, but some components may require long lead times for production, and some materials are subject to shortages or price fluctuations based on supply and demand.

Canvys

Canvys provides customized display solutions serving the corporate enterprise, financial, healthcare, industrial, and medical original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) markets. Our engineers design, manufacture, source, and support a full spectrum of solutions to match the needs of our customers. We offer custom display solutions that include touch screens, protective panels, custom enclosures, specialized cabinet finishes, and application specific software packages. Our volume commitments are much lower than those of the large display manufacturers, making us the ideal choice for companies with very specific design requirements. We partner with both private label manufacturing companies and leading branded hardware vendors to offer the high quality liquid crystal displays, mounting devices, and customized computing platforms.

We have long-standing relationships with key component and finished goods manufacturers including 3M, LG, NEC Displays, and several key Asian display manufacturers that manufacture products to our specifications. We believe supplier relationships, combined with our engineering design and manufacturing capabilities and private label partnerships, allow us to maintain a well-balanced and technologically advanced offering of customer specific display solutions.

Healthcare

Healthcare, included in Canvys prior to fiscal year 2015, manufactures, distributes and services high value replacement parts for the healthcare market including hospitals, medical centers, independent service organizations, and multi-vendor service providers. Products include power grid tubes, hydrogen thyratrons, klystrons, magnetrons; Image Systems medical displays and workstations for picture archiving and communication systems (“PACS”); visual solutions for operating rooms/surgical environments; digital radiography solutions including replacement flat panel detectors and upgrades; and additional replacement components currently under development for the diagnostic imaging service market. Through a combination of newly developed products and partnerships, service offerings, and training programs, we believe we can help our customers improve efficiency and deliver better clinical outcomes while lowering the cost of healthcare delivery.