RS Components launches industry first electronics magazine iPad app

SYDNEY, 18 February 2011 - RS Components, the world’s largest high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products and the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc, is continuing its push to bring innovative services to its customers with the launch of eTech for iPad.

This iPad app provides a new way to display product and technology information, extending and enhancing the magazine content with additional detail, images, animation and video, making it a truly interactive customer experience. eTech for iPad is available free of charge for download worldwide from the Apple store.

Commenting on the launch, Lim Cheng Mong, Asia Pacific Head of Electronics Marketing for RS Components, said: “With more and more information sources available to design engineers, it is imperative that RS provides them with news and views in the format that they find both informative and engaging. eTech for iPad is an industry first and has been developed to go way beyond the basic page-turner digital magazine, taking full advantage of the device’s off-line viewing capabilities.”

Written specifically for design engineers, technical managers and technicians working in the field of electronics, eTech (www.rs-components.com/etech) is an online and printed publication distributed globally. RS works with electronics design engineers and experts to provide information on new technologies for a wide variety of applications. Using leading edge publishing technology, eTech for iPad provides readers with enhanced content complete with interactive features allowing them to stay up to date with industry news and developments online and offline. eTech for iPad is free to download and subscribers will receive a notification to download each subsequent issue published.

“We are developing the most innovative ways to engage our customers,” said Martijn Duchatteau, Head of Online Innovation at RS. “By providing information in a dynamic and interactive way, we offer our customers choice; they can choose how much information to access and the format that it’s delivered in. Innovation is key to our success and eTech for iPad is yet another example of how we are committed to staying at the forefront of technology.”

According to eMarketer.com, research carried out by UM and Time Inc. found that more than 90 per cent of iPad owners who read magazines were likely to subscribe to those magazines on the device and those that do want their magazines to present them with striking interactive visuals. The eTech app engages subscribers allowing them to browse all of its content without needing an internet connection. The print version of eTech was first produced in November 2009, followed by a page turner digital issue in July 2010. eTech will continue to be available in all formats.

About RS Components

RS Components is the world’s largest distributor of electronics and maintenance products serving 1.5 million customers worldwide. Through operations in 27 countries and 17 warehouses, the Group distributes 500,000 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, shipping around 40,000 orders on the same day they are received.

RS Components and Allied Electronics are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc. The Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year to 31 March 2010 had revenues of £972.6 million. For more information, please visit the website at www.rs-components.com.

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

Relevant Links:

DesignSpark http://www.designspark.com

eTech www.rs-components.com/etech Electrocomponents plc www.electrocomponents.com

RS Components www.rs-components.com

Media Contacts RS Components Petrina Seah, External Communications Manager Tel: +65 6391 57129 Email: petrina.seah@rs-components.com

The Hoffman Agency Lynn Tan, Account Executive Tel: +65 6238 0297 Email: ltan@hoffman.com