UK maker and education electronics firm sells millionth kit

Supplier to the educational and maker communities, electronics firm Kitronik has sold its millionth DIY kit.

“The kits have been sold to over 3,000 schools, helping to encourage more young people to take an interest in technology and engineering,” said the Kitronik. Customers “typically enjoy engineering orientated activities such as electronics, robotics and 3-D printing to create self-made products”.

Kits, many of which are designed and manufactured in the UK, run from simple flashing LEDs, to robots where the maker has to provide their own laser-cut Perspex panels. They include music amplifier projects, solar lights and kinetic moving e-creatures.

The company was started in 2005 by Geoff Hampson and Kevin Spurr, graduates of Loughborough University, who had spent time designing electronic products and assisting soldering activities at ‘technology camps’ and Scouting events.

Noticing a lack of resources for those starting out with electronics, Hampson and Spurr decided to design a range of electronic project kits that were tailor-made to suit the National Curriculum programmes of study for Design and Technology at Key Stages 3 and 4.

Their kits were supplied with ready-to-use teaching notes from which teachers could base their schemes of work.

“We wanted projects that students could engage with, that could be built reliably and that were well resourced. Our aim has always been to show that electronics can be fun and that people shouldn’t be scared of giving electronics a go,” said Hampson.

They went on to develop their kits to inspire makers at home.

“Exhibiting at maker faires has shown us how the appetite for digital making has grown in the last couple of years. Having run a number of workshops over the last few months we love to see the enthusiasm many young people have when they get the chance to make their first electronic circuit,” said Spurr.

According to Spurr, public campaigns have increase public awareness. He sites the Government’s ‘Make Things Do Stuff’ campaign which was launched in May 2013, aimed at mobilising the next generation of digital makers – which is supported by the new Design and Technology school curriculum, which encourages more teaching of electronics and programmable components.

“There is a shortage of electronics designers, so if we can encourage more people to take up careers in a technology or engineering subject then we will be very proud of what we have achieved,” said Spurr.

steve bush

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via Yuichun