ABOUT OUR COMPANY

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About Pickering Electronics

Pickering Electronics are well known for leading the high-end reed relay market through innovative product design, high-performance components and exceptional quality control. Pickering was established over 55 years ago to design and manufacture high quality reed relays, intended principally for use in Instrumentation and Test equipment. Today, Pickering's Single-in-Line (SIL/SIP) range is by far the most developed in the relay industry with devices 25% the size of many competitors. These small SIL/SIP reed relays are sold in high volumes to large ATE and Semiconductor companies throughout the world.

OUR VISION

Pickering’s vision is to achieve a sustainable future as the global leader in the innovation, design and manufacture of Test and Measurement products to provide superb customer service in a supportive and positive working environment for our employees.

OUR MISSION

Grow organically and ethically through designing, manufacturing and marketing globally the most innovative, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to our customers that help accelerate their test and verification processes and improve the quality of their products and services, while providing employees with a family environment which allows them to thrive.

STATS & FACTS

55 YEARS

OF MANUFACTURING REED RELAYS

MANUFACTURE HUNDREDS OF

CUSTOM MODEL RELAYS, RoHS & REACH COMPLIANT

1000+

Relays we supply

UK & CZ

THE COUNTRIES WE MANUFACTURE IN

Reed Relays are available in Surface Mount (SMD), Single-in-Line (SIL/SIP), Dual-in-Line (DIL/DIP) and many other popular package styles.

The relays are suitable for many applications, for example, high-density applications such as A.T.E. switching matrices or multiplexers, high voltage applications such as mixed-signal semiconductor testers, high-end cable testers, backplane testers, medical electronics, electric vehicles, solar energy, excellent physics, in-circuit test equipment, and high voltage instrumentation.

Free relay samples are available on request to aid evaluation R&D without any cost, worldwide tech support from experienced engineers and an unrivalled range of specialist and custom devices, Pickering engineers work alongside customers to deliver problem-solving solutions for complex and challenging applications.

Part of the privately-owned Pickering Group, company operations employ around 600 staff across quality accredited factories in the UK and the Czech Republic (EU), supplying demanding Aerospace, Infrastructure, Semiconductor Testing, Test & Measurement, and ATE applications worldwide.

Other divisions of the Group include Pickering Interfaces, designers and manufacturers of modular signal switching and simulation products, and Pickering Connect which designs and manufactures cables and connectors.

To celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2018 Pickering Electronics published a book about the first 50 years of manufacturing quality Reed Relays. The book features various milestones in Pickering’s history, along with stories, quotes and personal photographs from our founder, directors and employees. To download your free copy, Click here >>.

Pickering Electronics is an ISO 9001 certified company.

Registered office: Pickering, Stephenson Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 4NL. Registered in England no. 857509. VAT no. GB103 5366 04.

REED RELAY
SPECIALISTS

Historical Timeline

1968

John Moore started Pickering Electronics to design and manufacture high-quality Reed Relays for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) in switching systems, predominantly targeting the UK home market.

1973

Becomes a major supplier to most UK Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) companies in a growing market.

1980

Moved to a purpose-built factory in Clacton-on-Sea, UK.

1983

Introduction of Single-in-Line (SIL) Reed Relays – the Series 105, including for the first time, changeover and two pole types.

Established SoftCenter™ Technology to protect the sensitive glass/metal seal of the reed switch capsule thereby increasing contact resistance stability and life expectation.

Developed former-less coil construction to maximize magnetic drive and increase packing density.

1985

Introduced the first ever Mini-SIL Reed Relay with a patented Mu-metal screen/can – the Series 107 increased packing density and improved efficiency and reliability.

Due to large success, the manufacturing area is tripled in size.

1988

Pickering Interfaces, Ltd. was formed as a sister company designing and manufacturing modular GPIB switching systems. Pickering Interfaces would later become leaders in switching systems based on many other platforms, including PXI, PCI, and LXI.

1989

Introduced the first ever SIL Reed Relay for high voltage applications – the Series 104.

1991

Introduced the first ever Vertical-SIL Reed Relay for high-density applications – the Series 110.

1992

Introduced the first ever Micro-SIL Reed Relay for high-density applications – the Series 109 requires little more than half the board area of any other SIL Reed Relay on the market at the time, setting a new standard within the industry.

1994

Became ISO 9002 (BS 5750) certified.

2001

Appointed a representative in Scandinavia - Pickering Interfaces A.B.

2006

Appointed a representative in China - Tomtech Mechatronics Co. Ltd.

Committed to RoHS compliance.

2007

Opened a manufacturing facility in the Czech Republic.

2008

Appointed a representative in South Korea – Leitik Co. Inc.

Appointed a representative in Taiwan – Winningway Material Development Ltd.

2011

Published ‘The Reed RelayMate’ – A practical book about how reed relays work, how they are constructed and how to interpret their specifications and make the best use of them in their applications.

2015

Appointed a representative in India – Vigven Tech Mark Pvt Ltd.

2017

Introduced the smallest footprint reed relay for high-density applications - the Series 120 4mm² ™

2017

Appointed Rapid Electronics to become Pickering's first official distributor in the UK.

2018

Became a manufacturing member of the Electronics Representatives Association (ERA).

2018

Published a book about the company's first 50 years – The book features various milestones in Pickering Electronics’ history, along with stories, quotes and personal photographs from their founder, directors and employees.

2018

Introduced the industry's smallest through-hole reed relay - the Series 124 4mm² ™

2019

Appointed Testco to become Pickering's first official distributor in the USA.

2020

Appointed Comcraft Corporation to become Pickering's first official distributor in Japan.

2020

Appointed Beijing uc-chip technology co. as Pickering's distributor in China.

2021

Launched the industry’s smallest high voltage relay – the Series 131 – switching up to 1.5kV on a footprint of just 12.5mm x 3.7mm.

2022

Appointed Farnell, Newark, and Element14 as Pickering’s online distributor worldwide.

2023

Marks 55 years in business, achieving 85% growth over the last two years.

WATCH

Pickering - The Reed Relay Specialists

Pickering Electronics are proud to bring to you the latest in Reed Relay technology and innovation. Please watch our showreel of Reed Relay products.