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RS (Part of RS Group plc)

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RS Components
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryElectronic components
Founded1937
HeadquartersCorby, UK
Area served
UK, Europe, Asia
ParentElectrocomponents
Websitehttp://uk.rs-online.com

RS Components is the UK and European trading brand of Electrocomponents plc. The company supplies electrical and electronic components, tools, testing equipment and related items through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters.[1] Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2014 had revenues of £1.27bn.

History

Key Dates[2]
1937 Founded as "Radiospares"
1954 Re-focused on industrial sector
1971 Re-branded as "RS Components"
1984 Corby distribution centre opened
1995 CD-ROM catalogue introduced
1997 Nuneaton distribution centre opened
1998 E-commerce web site launched[3]

RS Components was founded by J.H. Waring and P.M. Sebestyen in 1937 in London under the name Radiospares supplying radio repair shops with spare parts.[2] When televisions became popular, television parts were added to Radiospares' product list. By the end of World War II, the company had evolved into a large national distribution company. In 1954, the founders of Radiospares expanded the company's focus from shops and home users to the industrial sector and began selling electronic components. The company rebranded as RS Components in 1971.

RS now has operating companies in 32 countries, including France, Italy and Germany, with operations as far afield as Chile, New Zealand and China.[4]

Operations

RS Components is part of the Electrocomponents group, which trades as RS except in North America where it trades as Allied Electronics. The group distributes more than 500,000 products, including electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical and mechanical components, to over one million customers.[5]

Electrocomponents has operations in 32 countries. The company uses a variety of channels to market including selling via eCommerce, catalogues and trade counters.[6] The group has 16 distribution centres across the world.[7]

In 2003, RS Components was awarded 'E-Business Strategy of the Year' by the UK National Business Awards.[8] In 2011, the company was named 'Distributor of the Year' and 'Company of the Year' at the 2011 Elektra European Electronics Industry awards.[9]

In 2013, both RS and Allied became one of the main manufacturers and distributors for the Raspberry Pi.[10][11][12] The company provides a free-to-use PCB layout tool, DesignSpark PCB.[13]

References

  1. ^ Brown, Steve; Blackmon, Kate; Cousins, Paul (2013-06-17). Operations Management: Policy, Practice and Performance Improvement. Routledge. pp. 131–. ISBN 9781136375460. Retrieved 1 December 2015. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b Walko, John (12 November 2012). "A catalogue of success: How RS Components has grown to become a global distribution power". New Electronics. p. 20. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  3. ^ Cotton, Bob (2003-10-31). E-Selling: Sales 12.3. John Wiley & Sons. p. 59. ISBN 9781841124995. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  4. ^ "RS Components International". Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Electrocomponents Home"
  6. ^ "Electrocomponents: Our channels to market". Electrocomponents.com.
  7. ^ "Supply chain". Electrocomponents.com.
  8. ^ "RS Components Scoop Top UK Award for Online Investment". National Business Awards. Archived from the original on 2003-12-19. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  9. ^ "2011 Winners: Business Awards". Electraawards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2003-12-19.
  10. ^ Parrish, Kevin (18 April 2013). "Raspberry Pi Now Shipping From RS Components, Allied". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  11. ^ Say, Mark (August 4, 2013). "RS Components launches Raspberry Pi bundles". TechRadar. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  12. ^ Morrison, Graham (6 August 2013). "'It would be fatal if we were still shipping the same Raspberry Pi in 2016'". Linux Format Issue 173. TechRadar. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
  13. ^ Maxfield, Max (2013-09-13). "Allied Who? RS Who? DesignSpark What?". EE Times. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
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