Premier Farnell has negotiated a major multi-million pound deal with Sony UK Technology Centre (UKTec) to manufacture the Raspberry Pi computer in the UK for the first time.
This could represent a major development for the UK manufacturing industry and may well see the return of innovative British-designed Raspberry Pi, which to date has only been manufactured in China.
Sony UK Technology Centre will play a major part in this development with the company’s latest manufacturing techniques being utilised. The site will initially produce over 300,000 units for customers across the world and is expected to create up to 30 additional jobs.
The product, which has been developed by the non-profit Raspberry Pi Foundation, is a credit-card sized computer that aims to stimulate young people’s interest in computer programming. There is no sign of a slowdown in demand for the revolutionary computer with the element14 Community, helping to bring together Raspberry Pi fans to share ideas and further fuel innovation.
Mike Buffham, Global Head of EDE at Premier Farnell commented: “When it came to reviewing our manufacturing strategy we were always keen to bring the production of the Raspberry Pi to the UK. From the outset Sony UK Technology Centre demonstrated its enthusiasm for the product as well as its expertise in manufacturing. Their site is highly impressive and I am very confident that the team in Wales can deliver, providing us with a high-quality product, within our designated timeframe, all within budget.
“Since the Raspberry Pi was launched globally in February 2012 it has been a tremendous success story. The younger generation have been fascinated in learning how to build and programme their own computer device. As such we have had huge interest from educational institutions in purchasing the product, innovative design engineers who are using the computer for exciting new applications and also the general public.”
Eben Upton, Co-Founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “When Pete Lomas and I built the first Raspberry Pi’s for testing last year, we never dreamed it would become so popular so quickly. The Raspberry Pi was built to develop young people’s skills in computer programming and electronic engineering; we had always intended and hoped that the Raspberry Pi would also be manufactured within the UK.
“We’re really delighted that Premier Farnell has been able to find such a reliable manufacturer as the Sony UK Technology Centre. By bringing the production of a UK product back into the country alongside its development and distribution, we can help support our economy and demonstrate the capabilities the UK has in terms of technological innovation, invention, and manufacturing.
In the assembly of the Raspberry Pi, Sony UKTec will be investing in additional equipment to fulfil the order requirements, providing flexibility and scalability to cater for potential increases in demand. This will include additional automated circuit board equipment and double side reflow machinery. Furthermore, the site will be extending its manufacturing process capability to include a technique called package-on-package (PoP). This process allows the processor and memory to be stacked on top of each other, reducing the PCB footprint and the distance that high-speed signals need to travel, improving overall reliability.
Premier Farnell
Sony UK Technology Centre
