Current insights from DigiKey
"Highest customer count ever - worldwide and in DACH"
The European components-distribution market is showing fresh signs of recovery. Digi-Key also shares very positive insights from the DACH region and beyond. Responses by Mike Slater, Vice President of Global Business Development at DigiKey.
How would you describe the current situation for DigiKey in terms of sales and order intake - especially in the DACH region?
DigiKey is experiencing consistent and sustained growth, driven by the momentum we established over the past year. We have more customers than ever, and we are shipping more line items than ever. We are hitting record numbers of shipments being delivered in all regions.
We have never had more customers globally or in Germany and the DACH region after the first three quarters of the year than we have in 2025. Compared to last year, our global customer count has increased by more than 5%. As of October 2025, we have achieved 26 consecutive months of customer count growth. This sustained growth is across all regions and all business units.
Where are the remaining bottlenecks or challenges?
While we don’t currently have any bottlenecks in our sales or order intake, we always keep in mind that challenges could arise in many ways, including economic factors such as inflation, global events, tariffs, or changes in supply chain dynamics. We always keep the pace of demand change in mind, as rapid fluctuations in demand can put significant pressure on lead times and availability. However, this is precisely where our business model excels, and our real-time intelligence is designed to protect our customers.
Our industry is naturally cyclical, and we have seen steady improvement in the market this year. Most technology inventories have returned to normal levels, and we expect demand to remain stable in 2026.
What is your outlook for the coming months?
We anticipate that the momentum on our side will continue, and current order volumes and customer counts point to sustained growth in 2026. We expect revenue stream growth in all business units, with industrial automation in Germany and the DACH region leading the way as we enter the new year. Other spaces that we view as growth drivers in this region include robotics, EVs, autonomous systems, the maker space and aerospace and defense.
As always, we will continue to expand our line card with existing and new suppliers. Our proactive approach gives us confidence heading into 2026, and the current market indicators bolster our confidence with optimism. Based on customer order patterns, our continued investments in inventory breadth and depth, and our focus on utilizing data to inform our decisions, we are well-positioned for the coming months.
