RS Components is the UK, European and Asia Pacific trading brand of

Electrocomponents plc. The company supplies electronic components, electrical,

automation and control, and test and measurement equipment, and engineering tools
and consumables 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 2017 had revenues of L1.51bn.[2]

Contents
1 History
2 Operations
3 References
4 External links
History
Key Dates[3]
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
1995 Nuneaton distribution centre opened
1998 E-commerce web site launched[4]
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.[3] 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 countries worldwide, including France, Italy and
Germany, and as far afield as New Zealand and China.[5]

Operations

RS Trade Counter in Leeds.

RS Components is part of the Electrocomponents group, which trades as RS except in
the Americas where it trades as Allied Electronics. The group distributes more than
500,000 products, including electronics, automation and control components,
engineering tools and consumables, to over one million customers.[6]

Electrocomponents has operations in 32 countries. The company uses a variety of

channels to market including selling via E-commerce, catalogues and trade counters.
[7] The group has distribution centres across the world.[8]

In 2003, RS Components was awarded 'E-Business Strategy of the Year' by the UK

National Business Awards.[9] In 2011, the company was named 'Distributor of the
Year' and 'Company of the Year' at the 2011 Elektra European Electronics Industry
awards.[10]

In 2013, both RS and Allied became two of the main manufacturers and distributors
for the Raspberry Pi.[11][12][13] The company provides a free-to-use PCB layout
tool, DesignSpark PCB.[14]

References
"Our brands - Electrocomponents". Retrieved 11 October 2017.
"Investor centre - Electrocomponents". Retrieved 11 October 2017.
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.
 Cotton, Bob (2003-10-31). E-Selling: Sales 12.3. John Wiley & Sons. p. 59. ISBN
9781841124995. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
"RS Components International". Retrieved 13 December 2015.
"Electrocomponents Home"
"Electrocomponents: Our channels to market" Archived 2013-02-13 at the Wayback
Machine.. Electrocomponents.com.
"Supply chain". Electrocomponents.com.
"RS Components Scoop Top UK Award for Online Investment". National Business
Awards. Archived from the original on 2003-12-19. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
"2011 Winners: Business Awards". Electraawards.co.uk. Archived from the original
on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2003-12-19.
Parrish, Kevin (18 April 2013). "Raspberry Pi Now Shipping From RS Components,
Allied". Toms Hardware. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
Say, Mark (August 4, 2013). "RS Components launches Raspberry Pi bundles".
TechRadar. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
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.
Maxfield, Clive "Max" (2013-09-13). "Allied Who? RS Who? DesignSpark What?". EE
Times. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
External links
RS Components international website
Designspark - Electronics development community