element14 is celebrating its one millionth Raspberry Pi to be manufactured by Sony UK Technology Centre (Sony UK TEC) in Pencoed, South Wales.
element14’s distribution reach has accelerated the Raspberry Pi phenomenon, and it partnered with Sony UK TEC to bring the manufacture of the board back to the UK. An eco system of exclusive accessories such as EnOcean Pi, XBMC kit, PiFace and Gertboard as well as Foundation products such as the Raspberry Pi Camera has been developed.
The strategic decision to bring the Raspberry Pi back to the UK and partner with the electronics giant Sony UK TEC has a number of benefits from bringing the manufacturing centre closer to the head office, reducing transport costs and supporting UK mass scale manufacturing.
element14 has sold the Raspberry Pi into 64 countries to date; stacked vertically one million Raspberry Pi’s would be 103 times the size as the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Claire Doyle, Global Head of Raspberry Pi said: “We are of course delighted to be able to announce the one millionth Raspberry Pi coming off the production line at Sony UK TEC. element14 is the largest manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi globally and one of our key supplier partnerships we are delighted to work with Sony UK TEC to capitalise on the success and the popularity of the Raspberry Pi.”
Steve Dalton OBE, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre commented: “The Raspberry Pi is a fantastic example of UK innovation, design and engineering, at its best. From the day the product launched we knew the Raspberry Pi would be a success and we wanted to be part of it. We’ve been delighted and staggered by the continuous demand of the Pi across the world and there are no signs of this decreasing anytime soon.
“In a little under a year we have created one million units at our site in Pencoed, Wales which has resulted in us generating 40 local jobs. It’s a fantastic achievement, which should be celebrated. The work done by all parties has acted as a significant milestone in the UK manufacturing industry, which ultimately helps to support and grow the UK economy.
“The Raspberry Pi is testament that if you have the right product, manufacturer, distribution channels and customer demand any idea can be a huge success. We look forward to continuing our work with element14 and we’re excited about what the future holds for this innovative product.”
Pi Makers: Jonathan Hardie, Global Head of Manufacturing, element14, Steve Dalton, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre), and Anthony Morton, Global Asset Manager – Raspberry Pi, element14.
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