What Chris Electronics Distributors does

Chris Electronics Distributors, Inc. is a privately held, US-based B2B distributor of electronic components headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating since 1981. The company sells passive, active, and electromechanical components — including capacitors, resistors, transistors, diodes, LEDs, switches, relays, connectors, fuses, inductors, integrated circuits, displays, power supplies, thermistors, terminal blocks, filters, wire, heat shrink tubing, heatsinks, magnetics, and network devices — sourced from more than 80 franchised manufacturers such as Marl, CIT Relay & Switch, Meritek, Molex, Kingbright, American Zettler, and Taitron. Its catalog spans through-hole and surface-mount technologies across roughly 30+ product categories, including a discounted clearance line for overstock inventory. Unit pricing ranges from approximately $0.002 to $6.68 per component, with volume tiers and minimum order quantities on many SKUs.

The company's go-to-market is primarily phone-based inside sales via a toll-free line (800-356-6599) and local line (651-631-2647), supported by an e-commerce storefront at store.chriselectronics.com that hosts a search tool keyed to SKU, description, title, and manufacturer part number. At the time of data collection, online order processing was temporarily unavailable and customers were directed to phone or email ([email protected]). Distribution authorization and credibility are grounded in ECIA (Electronic Components Industry Association) authorized-distributor status.

Operationally, Chris Electronics is a small (11-50 employees), privately held corporate entity under no disclosed parent, with no public listing, no venture or private-equity backing, and no subsidiaries or M&A history. End customers are B2B electronics manufacturers and procurement buyers requiring passive/active components, switches, connectors, and hardware for manufacturing, prototyping, and maintenance. The company's stated differentiator is its authorized-franchise channel with broad multi-manufacturer selection, sold primarily through a traditional inside-sales motion complemented by an e-commerce catalog.

Name

Chris Electronics Distributors

Legal name

Chris Electronics Distributors, Inc.

Website

https://store.chriselectronics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chris Electronics Distributors, Inc. is a private Minneapolis-based B2B distributor of electronic components — including capacitors, resistors, transistors, switches, relays, connectors, and LEDs — sourced from 80+ franchised manufacturers and sold to electronics manufacturers via phone-based inside sales and a catalog e-commerce site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Components Distribution

NAICS

Electronics and Appliance Retailers (4492), Electronics and Appliance Retailers (44921)

SIC

Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Electronic Components (Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors) Retail (CRACAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Power Supplies, Batteries & Charging Components Retail (CRACAKAD), Cables, Connectors & Wiring Harnesses Retail (CRACAKAE), Semiconductors, ICs & Microcontrollers Retail (CRACAKAB)

Keywords

• Electronic components distribution
• Passive electronic components
• Semiconductor distribution
• Electromechanical components supply
• Electronic hardware distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electronic Components Distribution: Traditional electronics components distribution business selling passive and active components, switches, connectors, and related hardware to customers via phone orders and e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Chris Electronics Distributors is an electronic components distributor that supplies passive, active, and electromechanical components from over 80 franchised manufacturers. The portfolio spans capacitors, resistors, transistors, diodes, LEDs, switches, relays, connectors, fuses, inductors, integrated circuits, power supplies, terminal blocks, and related hardware. Products are sold primarily through phone-based inside sales and an e-commerce storefront at store.chriselectronics.com, with unit pricing and volume discounts across U.S. customers.

Product overview

Chris Electronics Distributors is an electronics component distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of passive, active, and electromechanical components through both an online store and traditional sales channels. The core offering includes capacitors, resistors, transistors, diodes, LEDs, switches, relays, connectors, fuses, and inductors from over 80+ franchised manufacturers. The online store at store.chriselectronics.com serves as the primary e-commerce platform for component search and purchasing, complemented by phone and email ordering options. The product line spans both through-hole and surface mount technologies across major categories including semiconductors, passive components, interconnect products, and electromechanical devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transistors Distribution of semiconductor transistor devices including NPN/PNP transistors, MOSFETs, and RF transistors from manufacturers such as MEI SEMI, Taitron, and Semiconductors Inc., sold via the company storefront and phone orders to electronics manufacturers and engineers.
• Capacitors Distribution of passive capacitors including electrolytic, ceramic, film, and tantalum capacitors for electronics manufacturing and prototyping customers.
• Resistors Distribution of current-limiting resistors including carbon film, metal film, wirewound, and surface mount resistors from multiple manufacturers.
• Diodes Distribution of semiconductor diodes including rectifier diodes, Zener diodes, and switching diodes for electronics applications.
• LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) Distribution of LEDs including through-hole LEDs, surface mount LEDs, and LED displays from manufacturers such as Stanley Electric U.S., Kingbright, Visual Communications (VCC), and Lumex/ITW.
• Switches Distribution of electromechanical switching devices including rocker, pushbutton, toggle, and DIP switches from CIT Relay & Switch, CW Industries, E-Switch, ICC, JL Optimus, RDI, and Xicon.
• Relays Distribution of electromagnetic relays including signal relays, power relays, and solid-state relays from American Zettler, Picker Components (CIT), and NEC Relays.
• Connectors Distribution of electrical connectors including IC sockets, headers, and wire connectors from Molex, Oupiin Connectors, Neltron, Leoco, JST, and Keltron.
• Fuses / Circuit Protection Distribution of overcurrent protection devices including resettable fuses, circuit breakers, and cartridge fuses from OptiFuse and Bel Fuse.
• Inductors Distribution of passive inductors including power inductors and RF inductors for electronics applications.
• Integrated Circuits Distribution of semiconductor integrated circuits including memory, logic, and interface ICs for electronics designs.
• LCD Displays Distribution of liquid crystal display modules and character displays for visual output applications.
• Power Supplies Distribution of electrical power conversion and regulation equipment for various voltage and current requirements.
• Terminal Blocks Distribution of electrical connection terminal blocks including barrier strips, pluggable terminal blocks, and multi-pole blocks from Blockmaster, Curtis Industries, ICC, Major League Electric, Conta-Clip, and Dinkle.
• Thermistors Distribution of temperature-sensitive resistors including NTC thermistors, glass encapsulated thermistors, and radial thermistors from Comchip, Venkel, and EI Sensor.
• Clearance Products Discounted and overstock electronic components available at reduced prices through the online storefront.
• Online Store (store.chriselectronics.com) E-commerce storefront enabling customers to browse, search by SKU/manufacturer part number, and order electronic components online.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ECIA (Electronic Components Industry Association)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChris Electronics is an ECIA authorized distributor, indicating membership in and authorization from the Electronic Components Industry Association. This association provides legitimacy and authorization for their distribution operations.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Jameco Electronics: Long-established electronic components and kit distributor serving hobbyists, education, and small-batch B2B buyers; comparable in long-tail parts focus and direct-to-customer e-commerce model.
• Onlinecomponents.com: Authorized online distributor of electronic components with comparable SKU breadth across connectors, passives, and electromechanical parts; competes head-on for digital B2B component orders.
• Arrow Electronics: Global authorized distributor of electronic components serving OEMs and EMS providers; overlaps directly in franchised passive/active distribution with value-added supply-chain services Chris Electronics does not offer.
• Future Electronics: World's third-largest electronic components distributor; competes in the same authorized passive/active component space and pursues overlapping B2B customers with similar franchise manufacturer relationships.
• RS Components / RS Online: Authorized distributor of electronic, electrical, and industrial components serving maintenance, engineering, and prototyping customers globally — directly comparable product range and target buyer profile.
• Master Electronics: Authorized broad-line distributor of electronic components focusing on franchised lines and customer service; the closest scale-comparable peer to Chris Electronics in business model and customer segment.
• Newark / Element14: High-volume authorized distributor of electronic components, development kits, and test equipment with a strong catalog presence; directly comparable in component breadth and target SMB-to-enterprise B2B customer.
• Allied Electronics & Automation: Distributor of electronic components, electrical products, and automation controls serving industrial and maintenance buyers; comparable franchised-distribution model with overlapping product categories.
• Mouser Electronics: Authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components with a similar breadth of franchised lines and a strong digital ordering platform; competes directly for the same B2B engineering and prototyping customer base.
• Digi-Key Electronics: Largest authorized electronic components distributor globally; offers the same passive, active, and electromechanical component categories with deep inventory and a best-in-class e-commerce platform — the primary competitive benchmark for Chris Electronics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChrisElectronics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chris Electronics Distributors