APC 1999 Annual Report Download - page 15

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 15 of the 1999 APC annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 50

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50

13
Schneider Electric pursued its acquisitions drive
in 1999. In the area of consumer final low voltage,
this policy brought in Lexel and two other
domestic market leaders: Plasnavi in Argentina
and Primelectrica in Brazil. In the United States,
we acquired Veris Industries, a specialist in energy
automation sensors. In the high voltage segment,
Schneider Electric and Toshiba signed a coopera-
tion agreement covering joint product develop-
ment and manufacturing.The agreement should
allow us to strengthen our positions in a market
where companies must have critical mass to inno-
vate and bid on projects that require heavy busi-
ness investments.
In France, our Prométhée subsidiary signed
a partnership agreement in March 1999
with national power utility EDF.Their goal is to
develop a joint electrical engineering and HVAC
offering for industrial and commercial customers
in Europe.
Jean-Claude Perrin
Executive Vice-President,
Subsidiaries
External growth
Growth: a critical priority
“The acquisition of Lexel has made Schneider Electric
the number two company in Europe for consumer final low voltage
distribution, creating opportunities for us in the exciting market
for voice-data-video systems. Lexel operates across the entire
Baltic rim, as well as in the N etherlands, the United Kingdom
and France. Schneider Electric was already involved in consumer
final low voltage in Spain, Switzerland and Italy.
With Lexel and other 1999 acquisitions in Argentina and Brazil,
we’ve got a good base for international coverage of this market.”
Lexel, Scandinavia’s
leader in consumer final
low voltage
Scandinavia-based Lexel primarily
produces consumer final low voltage
devices, such as switches
and socket outlets, and installation
systems for cable management
such as trunking, service poles,
cable ladders and cable trays.
It also makes security and safety
systems, intelligent building control
systems and installation accessories.
Lexel recorded sales of FF 3.7 billion
in 1999. The company has
5,700 employees in 18 European
countries, where it operates
through 40 sales units
and 26 production centers.
Products are sold under
15 local or regional brands.
Lexel is present mainly
in Northern Europe (Norway,
Sweden, Finland, Denmark,
Poland and the Baltic countries),
as well as in Germany,
France and the UK.