New LED lighting and buyback scheme encourages energy-efficiency and reduces waste to zero

Oxford, UK, 11 April 2013 - RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, has won the 'Environment Product/Service Award' at the Environment and Energy Awards 2014. The award was presented for its development of a new LED product, innovative business model and service that encourages the purchase of energy-efficient lighting whilst also eradicating all waste at the end of the product's life.

The award recognises a company that has launched a product or service that can demonstrably offer significant environmental impact reduction benefits. Working with sustainability experts, and supply chain partner Dialight, RS combined the best energy-efficient LED technology with a buyback scheme for customers' old lighting units and a closed-loop waste management service. This ensures that there is zero waste at the end of the product's life, since it is repurposed or refurbished and resold or all the materials used in its manufacture are recovered.

The buyback scheme removes the barrier created by the product's high purchase price, accelerating the take-up of the energy-efficient LEDs that reduce energy use by up to 80% and offer customers maximum longevity. The project has been a great success since the product was launched last November, with sales rising significantly.

Anne Bruggink, Global Head of Service Delivery & Operations at Electrocomponents, said: "This award is a fantastic achievement that recognises a real team effort across our business and a project that is an industry-first; no one else is doing this. We have successfully removed the barriers to purchasing a great and resource-efficient product and have closed the loop in terms of waste volume, rare-earth materials and value. Our aspiration is to roll this out across our entire business worldwide."

Photo caption (left to right):
Dave Mason, Global Head of Health, Safety and Environment, RS Components;
James Howarth, Regional Category Manager, RS Components; Ignacio Yanez, Category Marketing Manager, RS Components; Mark Shayler, Ticketyboo Consultancy; Mark James, Market Product Manager, RS Components; Ken Simpson, Environment & Sustainability Manager, RS Components.

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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. With operations in 32 countries, we offer around 500,000 products through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, shipping around 44,000 parcels a day. Our products, sourced from 2,500 leading suppliers, include electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical and mechanical components.

Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2013 had revenues of £1.24bn.

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

Editorial Contact
Lisa Townsend
EMEA PR Manager
RS Components
lisa.townsend@rs-components.com
+44 (0)1536 209026

PR Agency Contact
Janice Fenton
Account Director
Publitek Technology PR
janice.fenton@publitek.com
+44(0)1225 470000

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

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