Raspberry Pi now manufactured in the UK, thanks to Sony

Previously, the decision was made to outsource the Pi to China, where the correct price-point could be reached in unit volumes of tens of thousands. Following talks with Sony and, realising that the Pi is now looking at unit volumes in the hundreds of thousands, it was possible for the Foundation to bring manufacture back into the UK and, more specifically, the Sony manufacturing plant in Pencoed, South Wales.

Sony has even gone to the lengths of agreeing to ensure components are all sourced ethically and ecologically, offloading the task previously undertaken by Farnell. The plant will produce 30,000 Raspberry Pis per month and this contract alone will generate 30 new jobs.

Let us hope that this is a sign that PCB manufacturers across the UK continue to become more and more competitive; it's a crying shame that so much business in this sector continues to be outsourced abroad, despite the presence of adequate facilities on home soil, though, this is certainly one sector that could benefit from government tax breaks, as global competition is fierce.