Award won for use of digital technologies in providing true value to customers and suppliers

Oxford, UK, 18 November 2014 - Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, has been named UKTI Digital Business of the Year at the 2014 National Business Awards. Open to any pure play or multi-channel organisation trading online, this award recognises those best optimising all aspects of digital to achieve growth and strong financial performance through exceptional customer experience.

The National Business Awards judges said: "Electrocomponents particularly impressed with the use of digital technologies in ways that not only matched the needs of their clients, but also the provision of tools that disrupted the market's status quo to provide true value to their customers and suppliers."

Keith Reville, Global Marketing Director at Electrocomponents, said: "We are delighted to win this prestigious award. We've come a long way from a UK-centric catalogue distributor to being a global force in the world of B2B eCommerce, with an e-centric, multi-channel approach to our market, and our customers. eCommerce now accounts for over £700m of our worldwide sales, equivalent to 58% of our business. It includes 60 websites globally translated into 15 different languages and is also available in mobile format."

"This award is testament to the dedication, vision, hard work, creative insight and diligence of so many people across our business. Our ongoing willingness to engage with new technologies and adapt our culture to suit a multi-channel approach will continue to set us apart from the competition," he added.

Dominic Jermey, Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment, said: "UK firms are using world-leading online capabilities to drive forward our economic growth internationally. Electrocomponents plc are a shining example of how UK firms are thriving in today's digital, global economy."

Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the UK, the National Business Awards is the UK's most prestigious independent business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on excellence, innovation and ethical business. Now in its 13th year, the National Business Awards connects the nations' professionals through its annual awards ceremony; year-round thought leadership and round table events; and is UBM plc's flagship awards programme.

Photo caption (left to right):
Keith Reville, Global Marketing Director and Ermanno Maffe, Global Head of CLM, Electrocomponents

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About Electrocomponents plc
Electrocomponents is the global distributor for engineers. 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 more than 44,000 parcels a day. Our products, sourced from 2,500 leading suppliers, include semiconductors, interconnect, passives and electromechanical, automation and control, electrical, test and measurement, tools and consumables.

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 ended 31 March 2014 had revenues of £1.27bn.

For more information, please visit the website at www.electrocomponents.com.

Editorial Contact
Lynn Webster-Scott
Head of Group PR
Electrocomponents plc
Phone: +44 (0)7796 336499
Email: lynn.webster-scott@electrocomponents.com

Further information is available via these links:
RS Components on Linkedin
www.linkedin.com/company/rs-components

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