RS Components, the trading brand of Electrocomponents, has announced a distribution agreement with IDEC EMEA, a leading manufacturer of innovative industrial automation and control products.

The deal between the two companies builds upon the longstanding and successful relationship between APEM and RS, following the acquisition of the APEM group by IDEC EMEA in March 2017. RS is the first distributor in Europe to stock the IDEC range, which will initially include more than 1 000 part numbers available to RS customers with more to follow in the coming months.

The launch includes more than 700 new industrial control switches with both 16mm and 22mm diameters, as well as safety switches, enabling switches, safety laser scanners, power supplies and industrial LED lighting products.

“APEM and RS have enjoyed a long and successful cooperation and we are delighted to now add IDEC products to the RS portfolio,” comments Jim Cooper, vice-president: EMEA aales at APEM and IDEC. “The high quality and high specifications of the IDEC products are ideally suited to some of the key markets RS addresses such as industrial automation, MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) and the Internet of Things.”

“APEM has been a longstanding partner of RS and welcomes the opportunity to develop its business and relationship following the IDEC acquisition,” says Eric Smith, vice-president: interconnect and electromechanical at RS. “The high-quality industrial nature of the IDEC product range will resonate well with our core customers across all markets.”