Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is an industry group, world leader of the electric distribution and industrial automatisms.

The group declines its offer in three international marks: Merlin Gerin, Telemechanic Public garden D and . Schneider Electric is with dimensions at the Bourse de Paris and enters the composition of the index CAC 40.

The annual turnover of Schneider Electric is established to 11,7 billion euros in 2005. It was of 13,73 billion euros in 2006.

Schneider Electric is signatory of the Pacte SME.

History

The origins of the company go up with 1836 when two brothers, Eugene Ier and Adolphe Schneider take again a foundry with the abandonment with the Creusot. They transform it into an arms factory and in 1891, launch out in electricity.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the company joins already Westinghouse Systems at the time an international actor in the electric one. During the interval wars, the group launches out in the production of Moteur S and of Locomotive S. After the Second world war, the group gives up the armament with the profit of the electrical engineering and the iron and steel foundry. This last sector will be abandoned in its turn at the beginning of the Années 1980.

In 1981, the company separates from all the activities which are not dependant on electric industry or of the orders. Schneider then repurchases several companies which will become the heart of the current group:

In 1999, the Groupe Schneider is famous Schneider Electric and acquires the company Lexel. Schneider Electric is composed today of more than 90 marks, divided into world marks (see higher), local marks (like Alombard in France, Clipsal in Oceania) and specialized marks (like TAC, Crouzet or Easyplug).

End 2006, Schneider Electric approaches American Power Conversion, whose shareholders approve the repurchase on January 15th, 2007 for 6,1 billion euros. It is the most important acquisition of Schneider Electric since Square D in 1991. The European authorities of competition should authorize the transaction before March 30th, 2007. It is revolving major for the company, which makes protected energy its third trade heart (with the electric distribution and the industrial automatisms).

date-keys of Schneider Electric.

1836-1870 - Masters of steel

1836: the foundation of the Establishments of Creusot

It is into 1836 that the brothers Adolphe and Eugene Schneider acquire of the mines, forging mills and foundries of the Creusot which will enable them to take part in the great adventure of the Industrial revolution. Their principal outlets are the metallurgy, the heavy engineering, the railroads and naval constructions. The “glorious Thirty” of Schneider (1840 - 1870). Profiting from the considerable rise of industry at the 19th century, Schneider develop their activity as well by their judicious technical choices as by their relational strategy. Faithful to his “mission” of head of undertaking lit, Eugene Schneider also founds in his factories an social organization integrating the families into the life of the company.

Tests of 1870

The year 1870 marks the one time end: the upheavals related to the fall of the Second Empire and the very hard strikes come to tarnish the image of bright success from which Schneider profited hitherto.

1870-1918 - With the conquest of the world

Technical revolutions and carrier sectors

Wire of Eugene, Henri Schneider can learn the lessons from the tests of 1870 and the manifest superiority of steel in the military field. The new processes introduced into years 1860 and 1870 make it possible to obtain a steel more resistant to lower costs. Schneider innovates in the sectors of the metallurgy and the iron and steel industry, and quickly becomes one of the European leaders in the fields of the armament and work of equipment.

Social economy according to Schneider

The end of the 19th century and the Belle Time see being reinforced the concern that have Schneider to meet the needs for their workmen, so much as regards education than of social protection. However, this small universe of Schneiderville does not manage to gum all the social strains, as the great strike testifies some to 1899.

International ambitions

With the turning of the century, Eugene II operates investments in many countries. Those relate to as well the mines as electricity and the iron and steel industry. The greatest part of exports is due to the successes gained in the sector of the armament. The day before the First World War, Schneider won the bet engaged in 1870: its guns will be able to compete with those of Krupp.

1918-1944 - The time of uncertainties

Mad years

After having been one of the large actors of the victory of 1918, Schneider is confronted with problems of reconversion. At this point in time are seized the opportunities offered by the considerable development of electricity, steel and the concrete in the daily life. It is as at that time as are created and thrive the companies which are the marks of Schneider today: Merlin Gerin, Telemechanic and Public garden D.

Bored in Germany and Eastern Europe

After the victory of 1918, Schneider starts a policy of establishment in Germany and Eastern Europe. The partnership with Skoda is one of more great successes of this strategy.

Dark years

Ten years later, the increase in power of Germany seriously threatens the subsidiary companies of Eastern Europe, causing the rupture of very close links. At the same time, the crisis of the years 1930 and the come to power of the Popular front strike Schneider hard. In 1940-1944, the occupation of France by the Germans places the company in a particularly difficult position: the watchword quickly becomes “to undergo but resist”.

1944-1960 - A new world

Rebuilding and rebirth

With the Release, Schneider must again face a crisis of reconversion, but this time France is to be rebuilt. The new Master of the group, Charles Schneider, gradually gives up the industry of the armament to the profit of the civil productions. The company is reformed in-depth in 1949 in order to face the requirements of the modern world.

“Pilot of the nation's economy”

Charles Schneider wants “to increase, modernize, rationalize”. He applies this creed to all the sectors of his company, as well in the construction industry, the iron and steel industry, electricity and the nuclear power as in his strategy of external growth and export. These efforts are crowned success: in 1959, the general de Gaulle can declare Schneider the “pilot of the nation's economy”.

Shades in the table

These undeniable strong points however dissimulate weaknesses fraught with consequences: low financial profitability, brittleness of the results burdened by the elevated level with the investments, but also by the decline of heavy industry. In addition, the direction of the group feels reluctant to invest in research, fears the innovations and refuses to call in question its methods of management.

1960-1981 - Threatened empire

Schneider under influence

The brutal disappearance of Charles Schneider in August 1960 causes a crisis of succession. This period sees the company paralyzed by the decline of its key sectors of activity, like the iron and steel industry or the shipyards. The victory of the barons Empain, who take the control of the group in 1969, however lets hope for a rectification.

The reign of Empain

But the Master of the new group Empain-Schneider, the baron Edouard-Jean Empain, manages his business with the manner of a wallet of actions, clearly stressing the profitability of short term. The traditional sectors are more and more in crisis and the diversifications engaged by the baron do not bear their fruits. Empain manages and does not develop, missing strategic vision which would make it possible the group to approach the future with confidence.

Numbness and disappointments

Diversifications penalize the rationality of the development of Empain-Schneider while the crisis of the iron and steel industry comes to worsen an already fragile situation, in spite of the good performances recorded by Spie Batignolles in the BTP and civil engineering. These failures, and in particular that of Creusot-Loire, weigh on the group without however compromising its development: in addition to Merlin Gerin, which approaches Empain-Schneider gradually, Jeumont-Schneider offers promising perspectives. It is into 1969 that is created, with the the United States, the company Modicon which joined the Schneider group in 1996.

1981-2000 - A new rise

The time of the ruptures

On its arrival in 1981, Didier Pineau-Valencienne starts by rationalizing the company while separating from the or not profitable nonstrategic activities. The fate of the declining branches, in particular the iron and steel industry and the shipyards, which cause acute crises like that of Creusot-Loire, are negotiated with the public authorities.

The Re-foundation

After having consolidated its financial bases thanks to the arrival of new shareholders and with the simplification of its structures, Schneider starts its redeployment at the end of the Années 1980. Having firmly fastened Merlin Gerin with the group (1986), Didier Pineau-Valencienne launches out in a daring strategy of acquisitions marked by the integration of Télémécanique (1988) and Square D (1991). The departure of Spie Batignolles, in 1996, completes the centring on the trades of electricity. In one decade, the group promised with the bankruptcy knew to transform into a company of international scale specialist in the electric distribution and automatisms.

“To push back the borders”

Become Schneider Electric in May 1999, more clearly to mark its expertise in the field of electricity, the company engaged in a strategy of accelerated and competitive growth, to push back the borders of the offer, the geographical borders and cultural. It is carried by an ambitious project of company, Schneider 2000+. intelligent, to innovate, with the annual launching of a dozen families of products are the axes of major progress towards which the lifeblood of Schneider Electric converges. With the Presidency of the company since January 1999, Henri Lachmann (Jean-Pascal Tricoire since 2006) led the challenge of the acceleration of the growth and the effectiveness of the processes and operating process.

All this information is drawn from a consultable document pdf on Internet site of Schneider Electric to the following address: http://www.schneider-electric.com..

Government of company

Board of trustees

With the May 3rd 2006:

Board management

With the May 3rd 2006 and for a three years mandate:

  • Jean-Pascal Tricoire

  • Pierre Bouchut

Executive committee

  • Jean-Pascal Tricoire, president and CEO

  • Pierre Bouchut
  • Eric Pilaud
  • Jean-François Pilliard
  • Hall Grant
  • Michel Crochon
  • Eric Rondolat
  • Arne Frank
  • Claude Graff
  • Julio Rodriguez
  • Dave Petratis
  • Christian Wiest
  • Russell To store

References

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