APC 1998 Annual Report Download - page 43

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Schneider Electric in North America
Human resources
Listening to employees
In 1996 and 1998, all employees were surveyed in a People Poll to measure their job
satisfaction and pride in belonging to Schneider Electric. Following the poll, 35 forums
were held in which 1,300 employees met with corporate management to devise action plans
for the future.
Success stories
United States: IBM
In 1998, IBM signed a three-year agreement that establishes Schneider Electric as its first
choice for all electrical solutions in the United States. This includes electrical distribution,
industrial control, and automation equipment.
William B. Schaphorst, International Account Manager responsible for the IBM relationship,
had this to say about the agreement: “Industry leaders such as IBM are looking for long-term
benefits from their suppliers. They look beyond short-term, transaction-based gains and are
focusing on what alliances can do to reduce their costs, improve their profitability, build customer
satisfaction and strengthen their market leadership. We’re pleased that our companies together
now can concentrate on product design and application, new standards and processes
that lower overall costs and improve efficiencies.”
Mexico: Daimler Chrysler
To increase output at its Toluca plant in Mexico State, Daimler Chrysler chose Schneider Electric
for the supply of electrical distribution equipment (substations, transformers, prefabricated
busbar trunking, low voltage distribution panels), industrial control products (contactors, motor
controllers, starters, sensors), and automation systems (programmable logic controllers, Magelis
terminals, Fipway network). The contract involves a partnership with four OEMs and two
distributors. All operating personnel will be trained on simulators.
Schneider was selected for its capacity to meet all the technical specifications and for its proven
record as supplier to Chrysler’s facilities in the US, Mexico and Germany.
United States: Sears
For the many new standalone Sears stores that open
in the U.S.A, Schneider Electric provides a complete package
of electrical equipment, delivered in one shipment with one
purchase order. Sears chose Schneider because it could offer
a standardized program which improved the design and project
management of the stores while reducing overall costs
and the amount of space required for electrical equipment.
Canada:
Toronto Hydro and Hydro Quebec
Schneider supplied the equipment for Toronto Hydro’s
transformer substation in Agincourt and for the auxiliary units
of Hydro Quebec’s Sainte Marguerite 3 hydroelectric plant.
The Agincourt plant supplies power to 200,000 users. The
fully-automated facility includes 23 Federal Pioneer cubicles
fitted with Merlin Gerin MV circuit breakers and 30 overload
relays linked by optical fiber to a supervision center run by
a Modicon/Telemecanique programmable logic controller.
The contract for the 882 MW Sainte Marguerite 3 plant
covers the supply, installation supervision, and start-up of all
medium and low voltage distribution equipments.