Digi-Key Electronics is celebrating the company’s 50th year in business, having started operations 3 April 1973.
Digi-Key team members will be recognised and will commemorate the milestone during a week-long celebration and during company events throughout the year.
“As we celebrate this milestone year, we want to thank our team members, customers, partners, suppliers and our Thief River Falls community,” said Dave Doherty, president of Digi-Key. “Our mutual success over these 50 years has been driven by your passion, dedication and loyalty. Together, we’ve grown and excelled, and we know that an even brighter future awaits us all.”
The company – headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minnesota – highlights that in 2022 it reached sales of $5.1 billion, by processing and shipping 6.5 million orders around the world annually. It has 5,000 employees worldwide and almost a million customers, across 180 countries.
Digi-Key recently opened its 2.2 million square foot Product Distribution Center expansion (PDCe), one of the largest warehouses in North America, to scale capacity to meet the demand.
History
The company writes:
“In the early 1970s, Dr. Ronald Stordahl discovered an untapped group of entrepreneurs and inventors, like himself, who shared a need for small quantities of a wide range of electronic components that would ultimately fuel a technology revolution for electronic hobbyists, and then for the commercial market.”
“For 50 years now – thanks to the hard work, commitment and entrepreneurial spirit of Digi-Key’s more than 5,000 employees worldwide, 929,000+ customers, 2,400+ suppliers and myriad of global partners – the organization has built upon that initial passion. Digi-Key now distributes not only electronic components but provides digital solutions and tools to engineers, designers and makers in more than 180 countries.”
Thief River Falls
To honour its milestone, Thief River Falls Mayor, Brian Holmer, proclaimed 3 April 2023 “Digi-Key Day in the city of Thief River Falls.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate Digi-Key’s 50th anniversary in the company’s hometown of Thief River Falls, and we’re proud to see the company grow from humble beginnings into the global leader it is today while staying committed to its roots and our community.”
“As a member of our community, Digi-Key has demonstrated continued support and dedication to hiring locally with more than 4,200 employees from Thief River Falls and the surrounding area. The future is bright for Digi-Key and we can’t wait to see what the next 50 years and beyond have in store.”
