Rowse
Rowse is a UK-based, privately held technical distributor founded in 2004, supplying electrical, pneumatic, and automation products from leading manufacturers to industrial, defence, and commercial customers through three dedicated e-commerce platforms and trade account services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersPlymouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rowse does
Rowse (legal entity: Rowse Limited) is a privately held UK technical distributor founded in 2004 by John Rowse in Plymouth, Devon. The company specializes in distributing electrical, pneumatic, and automation products from leading manufacturers — including ABB, Siemens, Festo, Camozzi, Weidmüller, and Pepperl+Fuchs — to customers across industrial manufacturing, defence and military, and domestic/commercial segments. It sells into a broad set of verticals including aerospace, automotive, food and beverage, marine, pharmaceutical, utilities, defence, and rail.
The company's product and platform architecture centers on three digital channels: a general online electrical catalogue (with Product Search and Quote Tool), a dedicated Rowse Automation storefront for control and automation products, and a dedicated Rowse Pneumatics storefront for cylinders, fittings, and components from Festo and Camozzi. These are supplemented by trade account services that bundle credit facilities and technical support across the three product areas. Beyond transactional distribution, Rowse offers value-added services including lighting design, machine safety solutions (such as ABB Safety Fencing installations), vendor reduction, obsolescence management for legacy systems, exporting, and military equipment supply.
Commercially, Rowse operates a sales-led, transaction-based model with quote-based pricing and trade account credit facilities, supplemented by a sales-driven field motion targeting industrial, commercial, and defence customers. Its go-to-market combines content marketing (a blog covering automation, safety, Industry 4.0, and case studies), trade show participation (Combined Naval Event, DPRTE), and partner-channel distribution through its Festo partnership. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, Cyber Essentials, and JOSCAR registrations, and was named Festo Distribution Partner of the Year in 2024. It is bootstrapped, family-owned (John Rowse and Tom Rowse are involved in operations), and has 11–50 employees with no external institutional funding.
Rowse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rowse
- Legal name
- Rowse Limited
- Website
- https://rowse.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rowse is a UK-based, privately held technical distributor founded in 2004, supplying electrical, pneumatic, and automation products from leading manufacturers to industrial, defence, and commercial customers through three dedicated e-commerce platforms and trade account services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rowse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Distribution Services
- SIC
- Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Hardware (5072)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Automotive, Tools & Industrial Supplies (B2B) (CRAEAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial Supplies & MRO Marketplaces (CRAFAHAA)
Keywords
Where Rowse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plymouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rowse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Distribution - Electrical Wholesale: Distribution of electrical products including general electrical parts, components from leading brands such as ABB, Siemens, Weidmüller, and others to domestic, industrial, and military customers.
- Pneumatics Products: Distribution of pneumatic products including cylinders, fittings from Festo and Camozzi through dedicated e-commerce platform.
- Control & Automation Products: Supply of control and automation products and solutions including Siemens programmable logic relays, machine safety equipment.
- Specialized Services: Additional services including lighting design, vendor reduction, obsolescence management, military equipment supply.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard trade pricing for business customers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rowse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rowse is a UK-based technical distributor that supplies electrical, pneumatic, automation, and machine safety products from leading manufacturers (ABB, Siemens, Festo, Camozzi, Weidmüller, Pepperl+Fuchs) to industrial, domestic, and military customers. The company operates dedicated e-commerce platforms (Rowse Automation and Rowse Pneumatics) and offers specialist services including lighting design, vendor reduction, obsolescence management, and machine safety solutions. Trade accounts provide business customers with credit facilities, technical support, and consolidated access across electrical, automation, and pneumatics product lines.
Product overview
Rowse is a UK-based technical distributor founded in 2004, operating as a multi-brand electrical, pneumatics and automation specialist. The company supplies quality products from leading manufacturers (ABB, Siemens, Festo, Pepperl+Fuchs, Weidmüller, and others) across industrial, domestic and military sectors. Their product portfolio consists of three integrated e-commerce platforms: Rowse Automation (control and automation products), Rowse Pneumatics (Festo and Camozzi pneumatic components), and a general electrical catalogue. These are supported by eight specialist services including Control & Automation, Machine Safety, Military Equipment, Lighting Design, Pneumatics, Exporting, Vendor Reduction, and Obsolescence Management. The company also provides trade account services with credit facilities and technical support, serving customers in aerospace, automotive, food & beverage, marine, pharmaceutical, utilities, defence, and rail industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rowse Automation: Dedicated online shop for control and automation products featuring leading manufacturers with easy online ordering and technical information.
- Rowse Pneumatics
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully transitioned to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Rowse
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rowse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability15 records
Feature3 records
Rowse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FestocoreFesto is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic and electrical automation technology. Rowse operates as an official Festo partner and was awarded Festo Distribution Partner of the Year 2024. The partnership involves distribution of Festo products including cylinders, fittings, and pneumatic components through Rowse's dedicated e-commerce platform.
- ABBcoreABB is a global technology company providing power and automation technologies. Rowse stocks ABB products including safety fencing and other electrical components. Rowse has participated in ABB Jokab Safety partner training in Kungsbacka, Sweden.
- SiemenscoreSiemens is a global technology company in automation and control. Rowse stocks Siemens products including programmable logic relays (LOGO! series), Sirius Act Pushbuttons, and other automation components.
- CamozzicoreCamozzi is a manufacturer of pneumatic components. Rowse offers Camozzi products through their Rowse Pneumatics e-commerce platform.
- WeidmüllerminorWeidmüller is a manufacturer of components for industrial connectivity. Rowse stocks Weidmüller products as part of their electrical component portfolio.
- Pepperl+FuchsminorPepperl+Fuchs manufactures sensors and components for industrial automation. Rowse stocks their products as part of automation offerings.
- British Assessment BureauminorThe British Assessment Bureau conducted the certification audit for Rowse's ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards.
- Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR)coreJOSCAR is an accreditation register for the defence sector supply chain. Rowse has been approved for JOSCAR membership, enabling them to supply defence sector customers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rowse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rowse social profiles
Digital presenceRowse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Rowse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rowse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Rowse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rowse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rowse
What does Rowse do?
Rowse is a UK-based technical distributor that supplies electrical, pneumatic, automation, and machine safety products from leading manufacturers (ABB, Siemens, Festo, Camozzi, Weidmüller, Pepperl+Fuchs) to industrial, domestic, and military customers. The company operates dedicated e-commerce platforms (Rowse Automation and Rowse Pneumatics) and offers specialist services including lighting design, vendor reduction, obsolescence management, and machine safety solutions. Trade accounts provide business customers with credit facilities, technical support, and consolidated access across electrical, automation, and pneumatics product lines.
Is Rowse a public or private company?
Rowse is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Rowse founded?
Rowse was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rowse based?
Rowse is headquartered in Plymouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rowse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Distribution - Electrical Wholesale is the primary driver. The others are pneumatics Products, control & Automation Products and specialized Services.
Does Rowse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rowse.
What industry is Rowse in?
Rowse's product category is Industrial Distribution Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEAEAH, Automotive, Tools & Industrial Supplies (B2B), with a secondary code of CRAFAHAA, Industrial Supplies & MRO Marketplaces. Its SIC code is 5080.