Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric S.A.

Type	Société Anonyme
Traded as	Euronext: SU
Industry	Electrical equipment
Founded	1836, incorporated 1981
Headquarters	Rueil-Malmaison, France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jean-Pascal Tricoire (President and CEO), Henri Lachmann (Chairman of the supervisory board), Emmanuel Babeau (CFO)
Products	Include programmable logic controllers, sensors, variable-frequency drives, uninterruptible power supplies, circuit breakers, switchgear, switchboards, motor controllers
Revenue	€19.58 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income	€2.703 billion (2010)[1]
Profit	€1.720 billion (2010)[1]
Total assets	€31.05 billion (end 2010)[1]
Total equity	€14.99 billion (end 2010)[1]
Employees	123,480 (average, 2010)[1]
Subsidiaries	APC, Areva T&D, BEI Technologies, Cimac, Citect, Clipsal, ELAU, Federal Pioneer, Juno Lighting, Merlin Gerin, Merten, Modicon PLC, Nu-Lec Industries, PDL Group, Power Measurement, Square D, TAC, Telemecanique, Telvent, Gutor Electronic LLC, Zicom
Website	schneider-electric.com

Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers.

In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing electric motors and locomotives. After the Second World War, the armaments businesses were abandoned in favor of electrical engineering, and iron and steel works. The company remained in this sector until the early 1980s.

In 1981, Groupe Schneider was broken up, focusing on the electrical and controls industry. This was followed by strategic acquisitions of Telemecanique (1988), Square D (1991), Merlin Gerin (1992), and APC (2007). It is these brands that are the core products of the company's offering.

In 1999, Groupe Schneider was renamed Schneider Electric. The Schneider company also acquired The Lexel Group that year.

History

1836, beginnings

In 1836 the brothers Eugène and Adolphe Schneider took over an abandoned foundry at Le Creusot, which allowed them to participate in the industrial revolution. The company's main focus was on the steel industry, working on train tracks, ships and various other types of heavy machinery.

1870–1944, first activities

Eugène's son, Henri Schneider, began to use new production methods that were appearing during the 1860s and the 1870s, making it possible to make cheaper but stronger steel.

Most of the company's income came from the armament sector, but after World War I the company started focusing more on the development of electricity and steel as everyday products. It is also during this time that Merlin Gerin, Telemecanique and Square D started prospering. After World War I Schneider adopted an expansion strategy, going into Germany and East Europe. This strategy was put on hold when WWII started.

1944–1981, changes and difficulties

After the Liberation of France, Schneider was forced to face a new crisis. The group's new chief, Charles Schneider, progressively abandoned the armament industry in favor of civilian sectors.

Charles Schneider's violent death during August 1960 brought up a succession problem. The company was also suffering in its key sectors. Baron Edouard-Jean Empain took control of the group in 1969. He unsuccessfully tried to diversify the group's traditional main sectors. Eventually, alliances started developing with other companies.

1981–2000, from Schneider to Schneider Electric

In 1981, Didier Pineau-Valencienne changed the company's structure, completely eliminating the sectors that were in crisis, such as iron, steel and marine construction.

After getting the company financially on its feet, thanks to new investors and changes in the company's structure, Schneider started an expansion period at the end of the 1980s. After having absorbed much of Merlin Gerin (1986), Pineau-Valencienne started buying companies such as Télémecanique (1988) and Square D (1991).

In May 1999, under the leadership of its new CEO, Henri Lachmann, Group Schneider changed its name to Schneider Electric, marking its principal objective in the electrical field.

2000–today, growth

Henri Lachmann retired in 2007 to be replaced by Jean-Pascal Tricoire, who is the current Chairman and CEO of the company.

In October 2008, the company's Canadian division, Schneider Electric PMC Victoria, was named one of BC's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by The Vancouver Sun, The Province and the Victoria Times-Colonist.^[2]

In June 2011, the Indian arm of company has launched the new retail channels vertical in India. This is the first time that Schneider Electric has planned for a long term retail concentration around globe.

Overseas expansion

Currently PT Schneider Electric Indonesia has 3 existing plants in Cikarang, Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta, and in Batam Island with total employment 4,000 workers. In 2012, Schneider Electric will build a new plant in Cibitung, West Java. More than 75 percent of the production is for export market, such as ASEAN countries, the US and Europe and will be developed to the Asia Pacific and Middle East market. Indonesia is the third largest operation for the company in Asia after China and India.^[3]

Head office

Schneider Electric has had its head office in the Trianon site in Rueil-Malmaison, France since 2000.^[4][5] The current headquarters, also located in Rueil Malmaison and known as the Hive, previously housed Schneider subsidiary Télémécanique, while the parent company occupied a site in Boulogne-Billancourt.^[5] In September 2010, Schneider Electric has obtained HQE Exploitation, ISO 14001 and NF EN 16001 certification for this head office building.

Acquisitions

Acquisition date	Company	Business	Country	Value (USD)	Used as, integrated with
02009-07-01July 2009	Conzerv Systems	Power Monitoring	India			[6]
02009-07-01July 2009	Meher Capacitors	Power factor correction	India			[7]
02010-03-01March 2010	Zicom Security Systems	Security Systems	India			[8]
02010-04-01April 2010	SCADAgroup	SCADA and Control Systems	Australia			[9]
02010-12-01December 2010	Areva T&D	Transmission & Distribution	Europe			[10]
02010-01-012010	Andromeda Telematics	Integrated control solutions	UK			[11]
02011-03-01March 2011	Summit Energy	Energy Management	USA			[12]
02011-04-01April 2011	Digilink	Networking products	India			[13]
02011-05-01May 2011	APW President Systems	Enclosure systems	India			[14]
02011-04-01April 2011	Luminous	Power inverters	India			[15]
02011-06-01June 2011	Telvent	Real Time information management systems	Spain			[16]
02011-06-01June 2011	Viconics Electroncs	BMS Products	Canada			[17]
02011-08-01August 2011	7 Technologies	Utility Water/Electricity optimisation software	Denmark			[18]
02011-12-01December 2011	Viridity	Data Center Management Software	USA		Data Center Optimization	[19]

And more listed here www2.schneider-electric.com/sites/corporate/en/finance/presentations/acquisitions/acquisitions.page^[20]

Alliances

• MAVERICK Technologies
• Solar Sailor Holdings
• Cyberlogic - Technology partner for Modbus, Modbus Plus, Modbus/TCP communication software from Schneider Electric

See also

	Paris portal
	Companies portal

• Home automation
• X10 (industry standard)
• Creusot steam hammer

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Schneider Electric

• Official website

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