rs com

July 5, 2025

RS Components (part of RS Group) is a global distributor with over 750,000 industrial and electronic products. They deliver fast, stock deep, and back it all with smart tools like RS PRO, mobile apps, and local branches in 32 countries. Whether you need a sensor, a relay, or a soldering iron, they probably have it—and they can probably get it to you tomorrow.

What exactly is RS?

It’s short for RS Components, but these days they go by RS Group. The company’s roots go back to the UK in 1937, but today they operate in 32 countries. Think of RS as the Amazon of industrial components, but with actual engineers behind the scenes. The difference? You’re not wading through mystery-brand knockoffs or waiting for a random third-party seller to ship your parts.

Need a temperature sensor that actually hits spec and won’t blow your production line? RS has it. Need ten thousand of them? Also covered.

They’ve got over 750,000 products on hand—from PLCs and circuit breakers to PPE and hand tools. If you work in maintenance, repair, or operations (MRO), RS is probably on your procurement team’s radar already.

RS Online: A proper digital storefront

Most people know RS through their website—RS Online. This isn’t some outdated distributor portal that looks like it was built in 2005. It’s fast, clean, and functional. You can filter by voltage rating, pin count, manufacturer, even compliance standards like RoHS or REACH.

What’s more useful is how RS links every product to detailed datasheets, CAD files, and even 360-degree product views in some cases. That’s a lifesaver when you’re trying to confirm fit or pin orientation without pulling up ten browser tabs.

And no, you don’t need to talk to a sales rep just to get pricing. You’ll see real-time stock, volume discounts, and delivery estimates. Same-day dispatch is available for a ton of items.

RS PRO: Same spec, better price

Let’s talk about RS PRO, their private-label brand. This is RS’s answer to overpriced name-brand components that do the exact same thing. You get the same spec, often from the same OEM, but with RS’s label—and lower cost.

This isn’t just some slapped-on white label. RS PRO products are tested for durability, safety, and performance. Things like IP ratings, calibration certs, and build tolerances are actually documented. You’ll find everything from multimeters and thermal cameras to cable ties and relays in the RS PRO lineup.

Engineers and buyers love it for cost-cutting without sacrificing reliability. One client swapped out their control panel wiring to RS PRO and saved 22%—with zero failures across thousands of units. It’s that kind of trust RS builds.

Not just UK: They're global (and local)

RS isn’t just sitting in a warehouse somewhere in the UK. They’ve built serious infrastructure globally, with local warehouses and support teams in 32 countries. That includes Asia, Europe, the Americas, and parts of the Middle East.

This is critical if you’ve ever dealt with supply chain headaches. Global coverage means RS can reroute from alternate warehouses or local stock if your regular source dries up. And you can always speak to someone in your region who actually understands the local voltage standards, customs processes, or even the weird bureaucratic paperwork your plant manager insists on.

They also run RS International, a site for countries without dedicated local portals. It gives access to over 600,000 products, with international logistics built in.

There’s an app for that

The RS Com app, available on Google Play, is one of the better-designed mobile tools for this space. You can search and buy products, scan barcodes in your storeroom for instant reorders, and even check your delivery status on the fly.

For field engineers, it’s a practical tool. If you're standing in front of a blown control unit and realize you’re out of 24V relays, just scan and reorder before you walk away. No calls, no paperwork, no browser tabs.

Speed isn’t a luxury—it’s standard

In MRO environments, downtime is the real enemy. Every hour of delay can mean thousands in lost productivity. RS gets this.

That’s why same-day dispatch and next-day delivery are standard for many stocked items. Not "maybe-if-you-call-and-beg" fast. It’s built into their logistics.

They’ve invested in smart warehousing, which means orders are picked, packed, and shipped with minimal human friction. You get what you ordered, when you expected it, and with tracking from start to finish.

Don’t confuse RS with hospitals

If you’re in Indonesia or just googling “RS,” don’t be surprised if half the results are hospitals. “RS” also stands for Rumah Sakit, or hospital, in Bahasa Indonesia. So you’ll see listings like RS Premier Bintaro or RS Pondok Indah—totally unrelated.

Just know that RS Components isn’t in the medical business. Make sure you’re on the right domain: either rs-online.com or uk.rs-online.com.

Industry-wise, RS covers a lot

RS caters to a ton of different industries, not just one vertical. For instance:

Manufacturing plants rely on RS for control gear, power supplies, and safety gear.
Energy companies grab thermal imaging tools, circuit protection, and transformers.
Transport and rail use their connectors, relays, and signaling equipment.
Construction teams order lighting, fasteners, test tools, and ruggedized PPE.
Schools and R&D labs use RS for dev kits, soldering stations, and electronic components.

RS isn’t pigeonholed into one niche—they’re broad, but not shallow.

The RS Group umbrella is expanding

RS Components is now part of something bigger: RS Group plc. They’ve rebranded and expanded beyond just hardware distribution.

Here’s what else is in the group:

RS Americas (formerly Allied Electronics)
DesignSpark – An online community and free CAD toolset for electronics engineers
OKdo – Focused on single-board computing like Raspberry Pi and IoT platforms
RS PRO – Their private label, as mentioned above

The group is evolving from just a distributor into a full engineering solutions provider. More design support, more custom kitting, more digital tooling. They’re serious about serving the next generation of engineers, not just fulfilling orders.

RS is the kind of supplier that engineers trust

This isn’t just about part numbers and datasheets. RS is built around the reality of how work actually gets done in industrial settings—under pressure, with tight specs, and no room for sourcing errors.

From the warehouse to the workbench, they’ve optimized for reliability and speed. That’s why they’re still around after 80+ years—and why more engineers are using RS as their first stop, not a fallback.

If your job depends on making sure machines keep running, RS probably already has your back. If not, maybe it’s time they should.