Welcome to RS

History

Products

Product information

Ordering & Payments

Information on placing and paying for your order

Delivery options

Get your order when you want it

Export

Hassle free export from the UK

Conditions of sale

All orders are accepted by RS subject to the Terms and Conditions of Sale

Website Terms and conditions of use

Information on access to and use of this website both within the UK and internationally

Privacy Policy

RS is committed to safeguarding your privacy online.

Using RS Online

Using our website

Online orders

Information on placing your order

Finding Products

Information on finding your products

Stock check

Using Stock check

Online quotes

How to place an online quote

RS online feedback

We would love to hear from you.

Register with RS

How to register with RS

Forgotten pasword or username

Forgotten username or password

Request or redeem quotations

Request or redeem your quotations

Create parts list

Create your own parts list

View order history

The easy way to keep track of your orders.

Forward/Schedule orders

Schedule orders to be delivered on different dates

Large orders

If you have a large order, we can help you reduce the cost.

Returns

Return your purchase for a replacement or refund

Mailing List

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Technical Help

We've got all the information, support and advice you need.

DesignSpark

Online community of technical experts and free design tools

Catalogue Request

Request a catalogue

Fasteners Wallplanner PDF

Download a PDF Fastners wallplanner

Calibration

Our calibration offer

Contact us

Contact us details

Ordering Methods

History of RS


From a lock-up garage in North-West London in 1937, J H Waring and P M Sebestyen established a company called Radiospares Limited, supplying radio repair shops with spare parts. The business began selling electronics components in 1954 and rebranded as RS Components in 1971. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012, RS continues to be a market-leading business with a global presence

A replacement part for every job!

In that time, RS has become the number one high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products across Europe and Asia Pacific. Sourced from 2,500 suppliers, the broad product range includes electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical and mechanical components.

Keeping ahead of new developments

As times have changed so has RS, embracing new technologies as they emerge. Today, IT and communications products are pre-eminent and RS keeps ahead with new product introductions and innovations that enter the market, such as the Raspberry Pi computer.

Supporting engineers all over the world

RS now has operating companies in 30 countries, including France, Italy and Germany, with operations as far afield as Chile, New Zealand and China. Offering more than 500,000 products through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, the company ships more than 46,000 parcels on the same day the orders are received.

Milestones

RS has celebrated a number of significant milestones over the last 75 years:

  • First electronics and maintenance company to have an own label range (1937)
  • First distributor to offer free next day delivery (1937)
  • Corby distribution centre opened in 1984
  • First catalogue distributor to introduce a CD Rom version (1995)
  • Nuneaton distribution centre opened in 1997, adding half a million square feet of warehouse space in the UK
  • First transactional website in the industry, launched in 1998
  • First free-to-access PCB schematic tool, DesignSpark PCB, in the industry (2010)
  • iPad version of customer magazine, eTech, launched in 2011
  • First to launch a specialist app, MyLocalRS, for its branch network (2012)