The story of multinational engineering and energy management giant Schneider Electric begins in 1830s France. When brothers Adolphe and Joseph-Eugene Schneider took over an iron foundry in 1836, they could not have known where it would lead. After early years spent switching focus between steel production, shipbuilding, and weapons development, the company turned its attention to the electricity sector in the 1980s.
Fast forward all the way to the mid-2000s, and we will find that the energy giant is snatching up other energy giants – as it completes a USD 6.1bn deal to buy energy giant American Power Conversion, followed by a USD 2.73bn takeover of Arevea’s transmission and distribution business.
Organic growth and growth by acquisition would continue for Schneider Electric into the first decades of the new millennium, as its dominance sees it ranking high up on the Fortune Global 500. It’s one of the world’s biggest employers, with almost 130,000 staff around the globe, and one of the world’s largest revenue earners, with an annual top line of EUR 35bn.
Today, the company specialises in the digital transformation of energy management, automation, and cybersecurity. It provides end-point to cloud integration connecting products, controls, software and services, and delivers capabilities to help its clients shift from site-to-site to integrated company management. Behind the company’s continued success is its commitment to safety, reliability and innovation.
To further its purpose of “empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all,” Schneider Electric invests hundreds of millions of dollars into research and development activities every year. Through training, expert support, tools, and solutions, the company has also helped its 1,000 suppliers deliver on their climate-positive goal to reduce CO2 emissions by half by 2025.
