{ "schemaVersion": "1.3.0", "language": "en", "slug": "premier-farnell", "brandKey": "premierfarnell", "canonicalName": "Premier Farnell", "canonicalUrl": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell", "jsonUrl": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell/json", "markdownUrl": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell/md", "name": "Premier Farnell", "oneLiner": "A British global distributor of electronic components, development hardware, test equipment and engineering tools.\n\nFarnell is a high-service distributor of electronic components and technology products, serving customers across the design, production, maintenance and repair journey.", "summary": "Premier Farnell is a British business-to-business distributor serving the electronic-system design, maintenance and repair markets. Established in Leeds in 1939 as A.C. Farnell Limited by Alan Farnell and Arthur Woffenden, it developed from a regional catalogue and trade-counter operation into an international supply and engineering-support business. Its customers include electronics manufacturers, engineers, procurement teams, educational users, hobbyists and repair organizations.\n\nThe company’s historic growth came through a combination of geographic expansion, acquisitions and a shift toward digital commerce. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1966 and later expanded beyond its original United Kingdom base. In 1995 it acquired Combined Precision Components and sold its manufacturing operations as it concentrated more clearly on distribution. The 1996 acquisition of United States distributor Premier Industrial Corporation led to the Premier Farnell name. Further acquisitions included Buck & Hickman in 2001, Hynetic Electronics in India in 2008, Microdis Electronics in Poland in 2009 and CadSoft Computer, developer of the EAGLE electronic-design-automation software, in 2009. Some businesses were subsequently divested, including Buck & Hickman, Kent’s specialist automotive-consumables operation, Akron Brass and CadSoft.\n\nDuring the 2000s, Premier Farnell moved from a primarily catalogue-led model toward e-commerce and more integrated technical services. Under chief executive Harriet Green, who joined in 2006, the company developed its online channels and broadened its international footprint. It launched a Greater China operation under the Premier Electronics name in 2007. In 2010, regional legacy brands were consolidated under the Farnell element14 name in Europe and Newark element14 in the United States, while element14 also became the name of an online engineering community and information platform. The silicon reference in the name reflected the importance of silicon-based components to electronics.\n\nThe group’s commercial structure has included Farnell in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Japan, Newark in the Americas, element14 in Asia-Pacific and CPC in the United Kingdom. It has also sold own-label products under names including Multicomp Pro, Pulse, Pro Elec and Pro Power. Its range covers semiconductors, electromechanical parts, connectors, power products, test and measurement equipment, tools, development boards, embedded hardware and related engineering supplies. Development kits and prototyping products are important specialisms, particularly for microcontroller, sensing, wireless, lighting-control and Internet-of-Things applications. The company has also been a major distributor of Raspberry Pi computers and participated in the consortium that manufactured and supplied the BBC micro:bit for UK school pupils.\n\nAvnet completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell on 17 October 2016 in a transaction reported at approximately £691 million. The acquisition resulted in the delisting of Premier Farnell’s shares. The business was rebranded as Farnell in 2019, although Premier Farnell Limited remained the legal corporate name. As part of Avnet, it continues to operate as a global electronic-component and development-product distribution business, with operations in dozens of countries and sales into more than 100 markets.\n\nFarnell is a commercial brand in electronic-component and technology-product distribution. The company’s roots date to 1939, when it was established by Alan Farnell in the United Kingdom. It has since become part of the global Avnet group. Farnell operates as a high-service distributor, connecting engineers, technicians, manufacturers and other purchasers with products from a broad supplier network, alongside technical support and related services.\n\nFarnell’s offering is positioned around the needs of the engineering design journey: customers can source components and equipment for research, prototyping and testing, as well as for production, maintenance and repair. Its product range spans products and brands from more than 2,000 suppliers. The company says it stocks more than 950,000 products and brands, adds around 5,000 new products each month, and can provide access to more than four million additional products on demand. It also describes direct relationships with manufacturers and says it distributes authentic products as an authorised distributor. The Multicomp PRO portfolio provides an own-label option focused on reliable, affordable components and equipment.\n\nFarnell serves multiple international markets through regional storefronts and related brands. Its site identifies Farnell as the operating brand across Europe, the Middle East and Africa; in North America, the business operates as Newark; and in Asia Pacific, it operates as element14. The wider network is described as comprising five brands, three stores, 60 offices and eight distribution centres, with more than 3,300 employees. The element14 Community is also presented as a resource for engineers and electronics enthusiasts, offering peer and technical engagement, webinars, competitions and product road tests.\n\nFarnell’s proposition combines catalogue breadth and fulfilment with engineering assistance. It reports shipping more than 19 million order lines annually, with most products available for same-day dispatch, and making technical support available online 24/5. Its global website directs customers to country- and region-specific stores, reflecting a locally served, internationally connected distribution model.\n\nAvnet completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell on 17 October 2016 in a transaction valued at approximately £691 million. The purchase ended Premier Farnell’s status as a separately listed public company. The operating business was rebranded as Farnell in 2019, while Premier Farnell Limited remained the legal company name. As part of Avnet it continues to operate as a global electronic-component and development-product distribution business, active in dozens of countries and selling into more than 100 markets.", "aliases": [ "Farnell" ], "entityType": "corporate_brand", "l1Slug": "consumer-discretionary", "l1": "Consumer Discretionary", "l2Slug": "consumer-discretionary-retail", "l2": "Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail", "l3Slug": "specialty-retail", "l3": "Specialty Retail", "l4Slug": "consumer-electronics-brands", "l4": "Consumer Electronics Brands", "country": "United Kingdom", "headquarters": "Leeds, United Kingdom", "operatingMarkets": [ "Europe", "North America", "Asia-Pacific", "Middle East", "Japan", "India", "Poland", "Greater China", "Europe, Middle East and Africa", "Asia Pacific" ], "foundedYear": 1939, "founder": "Alan Farnell and Arthur Woffenden", "website": "https://www.premierfarnell.com", "websiteHost": "premierfarnell.com", "parentCompany": "Avnet", "owner": "Avnet", "groupOrHouse": "Avnet", "listedStatus": "private", "ticker": null, "status": "active", "enrichmentStatus": "wiki_ok", "typicalProducts": [ "Electronic components", "Semiconductors", "Electromechanical components", "Connectors", "Power products", "Test and measurement equipment", "Engineering tools", "Development kits", "Embedded-computing hardware", "Raspberry Pi computers", "Internet-of-Things products", "Electronic design automation software", "Technology products and engineering supplies", "Prototyping and test products", "Production, maintenance and repair products", "Multicomp PRO own-label components and equipment" ], "flagshipOfferings": [ "Farnell", "Newark", "element14", "element14 Community", "CPC", "Development kits", "Raspberry Pi products", "micro:bit supply and manufacturing support", "Farnell regional online stores", "Electronic-component distribution and fulfilment", "Technical support for engineers", "Multicomp PRO exclusive-brand portfolio" ], "positioning": "A professional, multi-region distributor for electronic designers, manufacturers, procurement teams, maintenance organizations, educators and makers, combining broad component availability with technical content, development hardware and design support.\n\nA high-service electronic-component and technology distributor combining broad product availability, authorised sourcing, engineering support and regional online stores.\n\nA professional, multi-region high-service distributor for electronic designers, manufacturers, procurement teams, maintenance organizations, educators and makers, combining broad component availability, authorised sourcing, technical content, development hardware, engineering support and regional online stores.", "wikiPathKey": "Premier_Farnell", "wikiTitle": "Premier Farnell", "wikidataId": null, "sameAs": [ "https://www.premierfarnell.com", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" ], "claimStatus": "unverified", "updatedAt": "2026-10-16T20:50:43.387Z", "generatedAt": "2026-08-22T15:04:56.572Z", "executives": [ { "name": "Harriet Green", "title": "Chief Executive Officer", "isCurrent": false, "startYear": 2006, "endYear": null } ], "news": [ { "headline": "Premier Farnell business rebranded as Farnell", "year": 2019, "summary": "The operating business adopted the Farnell brand, while Premier Farnell Limited continued as the legal corporate entity.", "tags": [ "other" ], "isScandal": false, "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "headline": "Premier Farnell acquired by Avnet", "year": 2016, "summary": "Avnet completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell in October 2016 in a transaction reported at approximately £691 million. Premier Farnell’s shares were delisted following completion.", "tags": [ "mna" ], "isScandal": false, "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "headline": "Farnell named a major partner for the BBC micro:bit", "year": 2015, "summary": "Farnell joined the consortium supporting the BBC micro:bit initiative and took responsibility for component sourcing and oversight of manufacturing for the educational computer.", "tags": [ "campaign", "product_launch" ], "isScandal": false, "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" } ], "encyclopedia": { "history": "Premier Farnell began in Leeds in 1939 as A.C. Farnell Limited, founded by Alan Farnell and Arthur Woffenden. The company initially operated as an electronics-oriented catalogue and trade-counter business. It became publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1966, providing a platform for later expansion.\n\nA significant strategic change occurred in the 1990s. Premier Farnell acquired Combined Precision Components in 1995 and sold its manufacturing activities in the same year, emphasizing distribution rather than production. In 1996 it acquired Premier Industrial Corporation in the United States and adopted the Premier Farnell name. This acquisition helped establish a broader transatlantic identity and contributed to the development of the company’s later international distribution network.\n\nThe company continued to reshape its portfolio during the 2000s. Buck & Hickman was acquired in 2001 and later sold in 2007. Kent, a specialist automotive-consumables business, was sold in 2006. During the same period, the business moved beyond traditional catalogues and trade counters toward online ordering and digitally supported technical commerce. Harriet Green joined as chief executive in 2006 and directed part of this transition.\n\nInternational development continued with the launch of Premier Electronics in Greater China in 2007, including a warehouse and distribution centre in WaiGaoQiao. The group began closing Cadillac Electric toward the end of 2008. It also acquired Hynetic Electronics in India in 2008 and Microdis Electronics, a Polish electronics distributor, in early 2009. In September 2009 it announced the acquisition of CadSoft Computer GmbH, the developer of EAGLE electronic design automation software. CadSoft was later sold.\n\nIn 2010, the group replaced several legacy regional identities with a more coordinated brand architecture. Farnell and related European operations became Farnell element14, while the United States business became Newark element14. The element14 name was also applied to a global online engineering community containing technical information and discussion. The company’s portfolio increasingly combined component distribution with development boards, engineering tools, prototyping resources and design-oriented content.\n\nPremier Farnell also participated in technology and education initiatives. Its development-kit business supported engineers working with microprocessors, microcontrollers, sensors, wireless systems, lighting controls and Internet-of-Things applications. It became a major distribution partner for Raspberry Pi and was a key consortium partner for the BBC micro:bit, helping source components and oversee manufacturing for the educational computer introduced to UK school pupils.\n\nIn March 2016, Premier Farnell sold Akron Brass to IDEX Corporation for $224.2 million, according to the cited reference material. Later that year, Avnet completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell on 17 October 2016 in a transaction valued at approximately £691 million. The purchase ended Premier Farnell’s status as a separately listed public company. The business was subsequently rebranded as Farnell in 2019, while the legal company name remained Premier Farnell Limited. It now operates within Avnet’s global distribution structure, serving customers across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and other international markets.\n\nFarnell’s history begins in 1939, when Alan Farnell established the business in the United Kingdom. It developed into a distributor serving the electronics and engineering market, providing access to components and products used in design, production, maintenance and repair. The brand’s present-day role is that of a high-service distributor, rather than a manufacturer: it connects customers to products from a large network of suppliers and supports them with technical services and product information.\n\nA significant change in the company’s ownership occurred when Avnet acquired Premier Farnell in 2016. The Farnell business subsequently became part of Avnet. It continues to operate as a customer-facing brand within a wider international distribution network.\n\nThe brand’s regional operating structure reflects its international reach. Farnell serves Europe, the Middle East and Africa under the Farnell name, while the same wider network uses Newark in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific. The company describes these as part of a network of five brands and three online stores, supported by offices and distribution centres. Its regional websites provide country and territory selection, and the global site directs visitors to local storefronts.\n\nFarnell’s offer has broadened beyond catalogue distribution to include engineering support and community resources. Its current product and expertise information describes an assortment from more than 2,000 suppliers, including stocked products, newly added items and additional products available on demand. It also highlights authorised distribution, direct manufacturer relationships and support for the journey from prototype and test through to production and maintenance. Multicomp PRO adds an own-label portfolio of components and equipment. The element14 Community complements the commercial catalogue with a forum for electronics enthusiasts and engineers, including opportunities to take part in webinars, competitions and product road tests.\n\nToday, Farnell presents itself as a global electronic-component distributor that combines product access, fulfilment, technical assistance and regional services. Its website describes the business as operating across major world regions and states that its distribution network supports customers from research and design through production, repair and maintenance.\n\nAs a high-service distributor rather than a manufacturer, Farnell connects customers to products from a large network of suppliers and supports them with technical services and product information. Its regional operating structure reflects its international reach: Farnell serves Europe, the Middle East and Africa under the Farnell name, while the same wider network uses Newark in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific. The company describes these as part of a network of five brands and three online stores, supported by 60 offices and eight distribution centres and more than 3,300 employees. Its regional websites provide country and territory selection, and the global site directs visitors to local storefronts.", "milestones": [ { "year": 1939, "title": "A.C. Farnell Limited founded in Leeds", "summary": "Alan Farnell and Arthur Woffenden established the business in Leeds, England.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 1966, "title": "London Stock Exchange listing", "summary": "The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 1995, "title": "Distribution-focused restructuring", "summary": "Premier Farnell acquired Combined Precision Components and sold its manufacturing operations.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 1996, "title": "Premier Industrial Corporation acquired", "summary": "The acquisition of the United States distributor led to adoption of the Premier Farnell name.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2007, "title": "Greater China operation launched", "summary": "Premier Electronics was launched in Greater China with warehousing and distribution capability in WaiGaoQiao.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2010, "title": "Farnell element14 and Newark element14 introduced", "summary": "Legacy regional brands were consolidated under the element14 naming architecture.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2015, "title": "BBC micro:bit partnership", "summary": "Farnell became a major consortium partner responsible for component sourcing and manufacturing oversight.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2016, "title": "Avnet acquisition completed", "summary": "Avnet completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell, and the company was delisted.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2019, "title": "Operating business rebranded as Farnell", "summary": "The business adopted the Farnell brand while retaining Premier Farnell Limited as its legal name.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 1939, "title": "Farnell founded in the United Kingdom", "summary": null, "sourceUrl": null }, { "year": 2016, "title": "Avnet acquires Premier Farnell", "summary": null, "sourceUrl": null } ], "products": [ { "name": "Electronic components", "category": "Electronic component distribution", "description": "The company distributes a broad range of components used in electronic-system design, manufacturing, maintenance and repair, including semiconductors, connectors, electromechanical parts and power-related products. Its catalogue is sourced from more than 2,000 suppliers, with more than 950,000 products and brands stocked, around 5,000 new products added each month, and access to more than four million additional products on demand.", "launchedYear": null, "status": "active" }, { "name": "Development kits", "category": "Engineering development hardware", "description": "Development kits combine processors, microcontrollers, sensors, wireless devices or other hardware with supporting tools for prototyping and product development. They are aimed primarily at design engineers and embedded-system developers.", "launchedYear": null, "status": "active" }, { "name": "Test equipment and tools", "category": "Engineering equipment", "description": "Farnell’s professional range includes test and measurement equipment, workshop tools and related supplies used by engineers, technicians, manufacturers and repair organizations.", "launchedYear": null, "status": "active" }, { "name": "Raspberry Pi products", "category": "Single-board computers", "description": "Premier Farnell has been a major distributor of Raspberry Pi computers and related accessories, supporting education, prototyping, embedded development and maker applications.", "launchedYear": null, "status": "active" }, { "name": "EAGLE", "category": "Electronic design automation software", "description": "EAGLE is electronic design automation software developed by CadSoft Computer, which Premier Farnell acquired in 2009 and later divested.", "launchedYear": null, "status": "divested" }, { "name": "Electronic components and technology products", "category": null, "description": "A broad catalogue sourced from suppliers for engineering design, prototyping, production, maintenance and repair.", "launchedYear": null, "status": null }, { "name": "Multicomp PRO", "category": "Own-label components and equipment", "description": "Farnell’s exclusive own-label portfolio of components and equipment, described as reliable and affordable.", "launchedYear": null, "status": null } ], "campaigns": [ { "year": 2015, "name": "BBC Make It Digital and micro:bit", "markets": [ "United Kingdom" ], "summary": "Premier Farnell was a major partner in the consortium behind the BBC micro:bit, supporting component sourcing and manufacturing for the initiative to provide computers to UK school pupils. The micro:bit was introduced for the UK school market, with Premier Farnell contributing supply-chain and manufacturing expertise.", "outcome": "The micro:bit was introduced for the UK school market, with Premier Farnell contributing supply-chain and manufacturing expertise.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2012, "name": "Online B2B commerce development", "markets": [ "International" ], "summary": "The company’s evolution from catalogue and trade-counter distribution toward online B2B commerce was recognized by the ECMOD Direct Commerce Awards, which named Premier Farnell the best online B2B business.", "outcome": "Premier Farnell received the award for best online B2B business.", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" } ], "scandals": [], "decisions": [ { "year": 1996, "type": "mna", "title": "Acquisition of Premier Industrial Corporation", "context": "The company sought to expand its international distribution presence, particularly in the United States.", "action": "Premier Farnell acquired Premier Industrial Corporation and adopted the Premier Farnell name.", "aftermath": "The transaction strengthened the company’s transatlantic distribution platform.", "financials": null, "competitorReactions": [], "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2010, "type": "strategy", "title": "Adoption of the element14 brand architecture", "context": "The group was coordinating a portfolio of regional businesses and moving toward a more integrated digital and technical-commerce proposition.", "action": "Legacy brands were replaced by Farnell element14 in Europe and Newark element14 in the United States, with element14 also used for the engineering community.", "aftermath": "The company presented a more unified identity across distribution, online content and engineering support.", "financials": null, "competitorReactions": [], "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2016, "type": "mna", "title": "Acquisition by Avnet", "context": "Premier Farnell was an international electronic-component distributor with established regional brands and technical distribution capabilities.", "action": "Avnet completed the acquisition on 17 October 2016.", "aftermath": "Premier Farnell became part of Avnet and its shares were delisted. The operating business was later rebranded as Farnell.", "financials": { "metric": "Reported transaction value", "before": null, "after": "Approximately £691 million", "period": "2016 acquisition", "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, "competitorReactions": [], "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": 2019, "type": "strategy", "title": "Operating rebrand to Farnell", "context": "Following its integration into Avnet, the business continued to simplify its customer-facing brand identity.", "action": "The operating business was rebranded as Farnell, while the legal company name remained Premier Farnell Limited.", "aftermath": "Farnell became the principal customer-facing identity for the business in relevant markets.", "financials": null, "competitorReactions": [], "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "year": null, "type": "other", "title": "Regional brand and store structure", "context": null, "action": null, "aftermath": null, "financials": null, "competitorReactions": [], "sourceUrl": null } ], "sources": [ { "title": "Premier Farnell", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "title": "Premier Farnell official website", "url": "https://www.premierfarnell.com" }, { "title": "Welcome to Farnell Global | Global Electronic Component Distributor", "url": "https://www.farnell.com" }, { "title": "Farnell | Our Brands", "url": "https://www.farnell.com/our-brands/" }, { "title": "Farnell | Products and Expertise", "url": "https://www.farnell.com/products-and-expertise/" } ], "needsReview": true }, "sources": [ { "title": "Premier Farnell", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" }, { "title": "Premier Farnell official website", "url": "https://www.premierfarnell.com" }, { "title": "Welcome to Farnell Global | Global Electronic Component Distributor", "url": "https://www.farnell.com" }, { "title": "Farnell | Our Brands", "url": "https://www.farnell.com/our-brands/" }, { "title": "Farnell | Products and Expertise", "url": "https://www.farnell.com/products-and-expertise/" }, { "title": "Farnell rebrands its private label collection as multicomp pro - CIE", "url": "https://cieonline.co.uk/farnell-rebrands-its-private-label-collection-as-multicomp-pro/" } ], "jsonLd": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "Organization", "Brand" ], "@id": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell#entity", "name": "Premier Farnell", "url": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell", "description": "A British global distributor of electronic components, development hardware, test equipment and engineering tools.\n\nFarnell is a high-service distributor of electronic components and technology products, serving customers across the design, production, maintenance and repair journey.", "sameAs": [ "https://www.premierfarnell.com", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Farnell" ], "foundingDate": "1939", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Farnell and Arthur Woffenden" }, "parentOrganization": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Avnet" }, "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Leeds, United Kingdom", "addressCountry": "United Kingdom" }, "alternateName": [ "Farnell" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell", "name": "Premier Farnell", "url": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell", "dateModified": "2026-10-16T20:50:43.387Z", "isPartOf": { "@type": "Dataset", "name": "Brand Wiki", "url": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "WorldBrand.ai", "url": "https://worldbrand.ai" }, "publishingPrinciples": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/editorial-policy", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell#entity" }, "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "h1", "[data-brandwiki-speakable='definition']" ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Brand Wiki", "item": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Premier Farnell", "item": "https://worldbrand.ai/brand-wiki/premier-farnell" } ] } ] }