RS Components Furthers Investment in Asia Pacific with the Addition of over 80,000 Best-selling Products stocked across the Region

Substantial stock enhancement provides optimum availability of high demand products to customers

SINGAPORE, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- RS Components, the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, today announced that it has recently added over 80,000 products stocked across its major Asia Pacific warehouses in Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Customers in the region will now enjoy faster delivery from its portfolio of locally-stocked electronics, maintenance, and automation and control products.

Richard Huxley, RS Components Regional General Manager, Asia-Pacific

RS Components improves product offerings in Asia Pacific

The 80,000+ recently added products were selected from RS Components' global best-selling products demanded by engineers. These products include world-leading brands such as TE Connectivity, Molex, Microchip, Texas Instruments, Schneider Electric, Siemens and ABB. From automation and control to electronics to products that sit on engineers' workbenches, RS Components is well placed to provide the widest product range and a next-day delivery service across most major cities in the region for locally-stocked items.

Customers across Asia Pacific can instantly access, search and browse these products through their local RS Components websites at www.rs-components.com. The fully transactional websites provide customers with the latest inventory information and pricing details before placing their orders.

RS Components enjoyed a healthy 12 percent revenue growth in Asia Pacific for the six months ended 30 September 2011. The company's continued investment and expansion in the region is driven by a diverse set of customers from many industries, including electronics design, manufacturing, oil and gas, transportation and renewable energy; and a shift towards innovation and high value-added manufacturing and engineering activities.  Research and Development (R&D) spending in Asia is growing at a fast rate, accounting for 35.3 percent of the global spending on R&D (Note 1).

Richard Huxley, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific, RS Components, said: "In line with global trends, the region is also seeing a shift towards higher value-added design and engineering where engineers face increasing challenges such as stronger competition, need for innovation and shorter time-to-market. Better options, faster availability and a higher service experience are critical to help engineers perform."

"Adding over 80,000 of the most popular products across our major regional warehouses ensures high demand products are in stock and made available quickly through next-day delivery in most major cities. Once again, we have placed customers at the heart of our business and reaffirmed our commitment as the trusted and reliable source for engineers and procurement specialists in the region."

The substantial stock investment follows a series of strategic initiatives made by the company last year aimed at enhancing service delivery in the region. These include doubling the size of its new warehouse in Shanghai, the boosting of its automation and control product range and the revamping of its websites in the region.

Note 1: 2011 Global R&D Funding Forecast: Stability Returns to R&D Funding, Battelle and R&D Magazine

About RS Components

RS Components and Allied Electronics are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc, the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products. Through operations in 32 countries and 17 warehouses, the Group serves 1.6 million customers worldwide and distributes 550,000 products ranging from semiconductors and optoelectronics to power tools and protective clothing. The product and service portfolio supports the entire product lifecycle from R&D through pre-production to maintenance and repair. The Group ships more than 46,000 parcels on the same day the orders are received.

Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year to 31 March 2011 had revenues of GBP1.18bn.

For more information, please visit the website at www.rs-components.com.

Further information is available via these links:
Twitter: @RSElectronics; @alliedelec; @designsparkRS
Tweet: RS Components
Hashtags: #ecommerce #electronics
RS Components on Linkedin
http://www.linkedin.com/company/rs-components

Relevant Links:
Electrocomponents plc
www.electrocomponents.com

RS Components
www.rs-components.com

DesignSpark
http://www.designspark.com

Editorial Contact:

RS Components
Tan Soo Chun
Public Relations Manager - Asia Pacific
Tel: +65-6391-5745
Email: soochun.tan@rs-components.com

The Hoffman Agency
Rasheed Abu Bakar / Ian Lee
Tel: +65-6361-0250
Email: rscomponentsteam@hoffman.com

Related stocks: LSE:ECM