Farnell element14, The Development Distributor, has named Bristol Robotics Laboratory as winner of its ‘Win a Lab Makeover’ competition. The competition was open to educational organisations in the UK to win the opportunity to have their teaching space refurbished.

The Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) is an academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK and builds on a collaborative partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and the University of Bristol, and is home to a vibrant community of over 200 academics, researchers and industry practitioners.

The laboratory will be using the prize fund to install and stock new storage for basic electrical and mechanical components including resistors, capacitor, diodes, potentiometers, connectors, screws and nuts. The Lab will also receive 5 InfiniVision 1000 X-Series Oscilloscopes worth over £600 each from Keysight that will be used to teach the engineers of the future, and to help staff with prototypes.

Angelika Peer at Bristol Robotics Laboratory said: “With the help of Win-a-Lab-Makeover we hope to introduce a major change in how our researchers and students work on a daily basis, eliminating the need for every single person in need of basic electrical and mechanical components to file and track individual orders. Having basic components in-house will save everyone in the lab, from students and researchers, to people participating in our incubators, lots of time and effort. It will also save the laboratory money that can then be invested in other things.”

Peter Birks, European Business President, Farnell element14, said:  “Farnell element14 launched the ‘Win a Lab Makeover’ competition as we believe it is vital to create the right environment with the right equipment and tools to give students the best start in their engineering careers. The British Robotics Laboratory is using the prize fund to change the way they are working for the better, making a difference to the lives of all the students and teachers and allowing them to focus on the engineering rather than paperwork.”

Farnell element14, the Development Distributor, has appointed Mathew Thorpe as Regional Sales Director for the UK and Ireland. Mathew joins the business from RS Components where he was Head of Field Sales and Trade Counters, with responsibility for sales growth and a team of regional sales managers and key account managers.

Thorpe will be based within the Leeds office where he will further develop Farnell element14’s multichannel service and sales offering, putting the customer at the heart of the business and targeting complex customers within the defence, aerospace and medical markets. He will be responsible for growing Farnell element14’s UK sales leveraging the businesses flexible multi-channel model to support the ever-changing demand of the UK market.

Peter Birks, Regional Business President, Sales and Marketing Europe (pictured right) said: “We are delighted that Mathew is joining the Farnell element14 team. We have a strong customer offering in the UK encompassing a broad inventory and high-service support, delivered through the web and our dedicated local sales and service teams. I am looking to Mathew to build on our current strong performance by delivering industry leading customer service levels and acquiring new business at a faster rate than our competitors. I am enthusiastic and confident that under Mathew’s leadership the execution of our prototype through to production strategy will continue to delight our target customers.”

Notes to editors

Peter Birks, Business President, Europe, pictured above.

Mathew Thorpe, Regional Sales Director, UK & Ireland, pictured below.

Farnell element14, The Development Distributor, is today launching a competition for tech start-ups based in Norway in partnership with CamdenBoss, Altium and Intel. Two winning organisations will be able to select a product worth up to 20,000kr. to help them take their design to the next level.

Farnell element14 has launched the initiative as it recognises that access to the right products and design support is what helps tech start-ups make their idea a reality. Two winners will be given the opportunity to select a product worth up to 20,000kr. to support their start-up design.

In 2016, Farnell element14 worked with Norwegian tech start-up Futurehome to help it bring its home automation product to market. Based on a Single Board Computer, Futurehome utilises smart technology to allow users to control, automate and monitor hundreds of smart devices remotely through a single Smart Hub gateway. Farnell element14 supplied the Single Board Computer as well as supporting Futurehome in the early stages of their development with compliance, manufacturing and engineering services. Working with one vendor to provide both products and services tailored to their individual needs freed Futurehome up to focus purely on developing the product.

Peter Birks, European Business President, Farnell element14, said: “This competition is designed to give two start-ups in Norway the boost they need to get their idea off the ground. From idea and proof of concept to prototyping and production, we are here to support the small start-ups like Futurehome to the large semiconductor manufacturers. Farnell element14 is the Development Distributor and by providing a joined up service we are able to dramatically reduce time to market, which is fundamental for so many start-ups. I am excited to see the innovative ideas that will come from the businesses that apply for this competition.”

Organisations can submit their entries at http://startup.farnell.com/no.  One winner will be announced at EIF Stavanger exhibition on 10^th May with a further winner announced in June.

Farnell element14, The Development Distributor, is inviting customers and potential customers to join them at its Northern Supplier Day at Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on Wednesday 26th April.

The event will bring together 21 suppliers from across the Farnell element14 technology segments to showcase products, tools and solutions that empower people and businesses to shape the future. Visitors will be able to view the latest products from key suppliers including Phoenix Contact, Rohm, Tektronix, TE, Fluke and Omron.

Representatives from Farnell element14 will also be on hand to discuss the support the business can provide to customers, from logistics to manufacturing and design services.

Peter Birks, Business President, Farnell element14, who is attending the event, said:

“In a market that is increasingly serviced over the web, we understand how important it can be to get time to talk face to face with customers and suppliers about new technologies and services. This event provides an opportunity for customers based in the North of England to see the latest products from key suppliers and network with industry colleagues. Hosting events such as this builds on the support we provide as the Development Distributor, either through our traditional distribution business or as a provider of design and manufacturing services, all to help our customers get their products to market faster.”

The Northern supplier event is aimed at design and maintenance engineers and buyers. Attendees at the event will receive a complimentary goody bag of components from supplier sponsors. For more information on the event and to confirm attendance please visit http://uk.farnell.com/northern-supplier-day

Farnell element14, The Development Distributor, is today launching its ‘Win a Lab Makeover’ competition for education organisations in the UK to win the opportunity to have their teaching space refurbished.

Schools, universities and other education charities are being invited to submit their establishment to be considered for a lab makeover worth up to £3,500. Farnell element14 has also partnered with Keysight to support the competition by giving away five InfiniVision 1000 X-Series Oscilloscopes worth over £600 each to the winning organisation to be used in their newly refurbished lab space.

Farnell element14 has launched the initiative as it recognises that the right environment and equipment is vital to give students the tools and support they need make the right start in their engineering careers.

As the Development Distributor, Farnell element14 works with leading brands and start-ups to develop new products for market, sponsors ‘startupbootcamp IoT’, an innovation accelerator, and provides a forum for engineers to share ideas and projects through its leading element14 Community.

Peter Birks, European Business President, Farnell element14, said: 

“At Farnell element14 we are committed to introducing young people into the world of coding and helping them on their learning journey from education to maker to professional engineer. We do this in so many ways – right from manufacturing coding devices that spark an interest in coding from a young age, to supporting next steps as an official manufacturer of two of the most popular maker boards in the world, Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black.

“In education, we provide guidance and support through online resources available from the STEM Academy and our widely used element14 Community which has over 440,000 members. Right here in the UK, we work with Leeds Beckett University, providing access to our lab facilities for project work as well as an accredited module for their Electronics degree course. This competition recognises the strong engineering heritage we have the in UK, and the importance of investing in education to ensure that this continues.”

Organisations can submit their entries at onecall.farnell.com/lp-win-a-lab-makeover. The closing date for entries is 18^th April and four finalists will be selected to go head to head in a public vote.

Farnell element14 will demonstrate its significant knowledge of sensors, high value relays, beacons and buzzers at the show.

As the Development Distributor, Farnell element14 helps engineers to develop products faster and more efficiently through its broad product offering and design and manufacturing services built upon experience working with the largest semi-conductor manufacturers and the newest start-ups to bring new products to market.

To meet the needs of the manufacturing world, Farnell element14 continues to invest in extending its product range and inventory and can offer production-ready packaging options to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and contract electronic manufacturing (CEM) customers.

Visitors to the stand can take their turn on a bespoke SNES arcade game built using a Raspberry Pi3 with a chance to win a one of the consoles at the end of each day.

Farnell element14, The Development Distributor, has been named Phoenix Contact’s ‘UK Distribution Partner of the Year’ for Device Connections for outstanding sales growth and marketing activities based around new product introductions in 2016.

Peter Birks, European Business President, Sales and Marketing, Premier Farnell said:

“We are delighted to have been named Phoenix Contact’s UK distribution partner of the year for 2016. We have added more than 400 new product lines to our portfolio from the device connections ranges in 2016 including the SKEDD range and the RPI-BC enclosure for Raspberry Pi single board computer. In total we stock over 4,000 Phoenix Contact parts in EMEA.”

Colin Green, UK General Manager for Phoenix Contact stated:

“The award reflects the commitment and dedication shown by Farnell element14 towards Phoenix Contact and their continued efforts to actively promote and stock all of our newest device connections products in line with their market launch”

Last month, Farnell element14 was first to stock the new one piece SKEDD double row SDDC product range, further expanding its stock of highly innovative SKEDD direct PCB connection products.

Notes to Editors

Photo caption: L-R Colin Green, General Manager, Phoenix Contact UK and Peter Birks, European Business President, Sales and Marketing, Farnell element14

Ralf Buehler takes on the role of Chief Sales Officer on 1 February to lead the company’s global sales, marketing and ecommerce operation.

Buehler has more than 25 years’ experience in sales and distribution and an impressive track record in leading worldwide product marketing and sales strategies that grow market share and profitability. He joins element14 from Future Electronics, where he was Vice President & Managing Director EMEA, and has held numerous senior management and leadership roles in the electronics industry with organisations including Cree, Littelfuse, Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics.

Based in element14’s London office and under Buehler‘s direction the sales team will focus on three core areas: selling components; selling services, such as software and re-reeling; and selling end products such as single board computers (SBCs). This will offer a seamless multi-channel experience to customers, ensuring they receive expert advice and products, when they need them, at the right price.

Reporting into Buehler, Peter Birks and Dan Hill have been appointed Business President Sales and Marketing and will be responsible for element14’s sales and marketing businesses in Europe and North America, respectively. Birks and Hill entered the business on 4 January and join Umasankar Pingali, Business President Sales and Marketing, in Asia Pacific.

Birks recent executive positions with the International multi-channel organisations Staples and Office Depot have given him a passion for technology and its use in driving revenue and customer traffic. Aligned with an effective and energised sales operation Birks looks forward to working with the European teams to deliver compelling customer experiences and exciting growth rates.

Dan Hill joins element14 from Crescent Electric Supply Company, the eighth-largest electrical distribution company in the US, where he served as general manager, responsible for Crescent’s $1Bn+ company-wide P&L and more than 130 national branches. Over the last 20 years, Hill has developed and implemented growth strategies which have more than doubled the bottom line in profit and added hundreds of new customers. He has also been recognised with the highly-accredited GE President’s Club top sales award and leadership award as well as the Crescent President’s Club top profit leadership award.