APC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 24

22 2011 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
DESCRIPTION OFTHEGROUP, ANDITSSTRATEGY, MARKETS ANDBUSINESSES
1LEADER IN AN INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE
emergence of demand response, and the growing need for real-
time control of installations’ security and reliability.
The Group’s products and solutions cover:
•electrical distribution;
•measure and control of energy use and quality;
•utility management (access control, lighting, HVAC.. .);
•control and supervision of industrial processes;
•installation and real-time management of smart electricity grids;
•systems facilitating access to electricity (our BipBop programme).
Industries and Machine manufacturers:
enhancing productivity, flexibility and
efficiency
Schneider Electric provides energy solutions for all segments of this
market: mines, cement plants, food-processing industry , material
handling and packaging machines. Its customers are end users and
companies, engineering fi rms, systems integrators, OEMs (original
equipment manufacturers), electro-intensive industries , panel
builders, and electrical equipment distributors.
Energy effi ciency is at the heart of the challenges facing industry,
which are to reduce production costs, comply with new regulations,
and reduce the environmental impact of industrial activity. In
addition, rapid industrialisation in new economies and the need to
modernise required in industrial installations in mature economies
both create signifi cant opportunities for growth.
The Group’s products and solutions cover:
•automation and supervision of industrial processes;
•equipment control and supervision;
•measure and control of energy use and quality;
•utility management (access control, lighting, HVAC .. .);
•integrated and decentralised supervision and control of energy
fl ows for one or several sites;
•tools and services allowing control and optimis ation of
industrialoperations.
Data centres and Networks: guaranteed
reliability, availability and efficiency
Data centres are sites fi lled with servers that process and
store billions of digital data in secure, air conditioned rooms.
They constitute the central nervous systems of businesses and
public departments, and represent a high-potential market thanks
to the growing digitalisation of professional and personal activities.
The expansion of data centres implies a signifi cant increase in
electricity requirements for servers operation and cooling, and the
cost of energy needed to cool server rooms should shortly exceed
that for the servers .
The Group offers a complete line up to meet the energy effi ciency
requirements of data centres and IT networks. Its products and
solutions cover:
•energy management and control;
•architecture design and installation audit;
•critical power systems with UPS and generators;
•cooling with a unique hot air containment system;
•monitoring and analysis of online data;
•training;
•maintenance;
•monitoring and security.
Residential services: provide single solutions
for comfort and efficiency
Schneider Electric’s main customers on this market include
electricians, architects and decorators, domotics, lighting or
security fi rms, construction fi rms, contractors, electrical equipment
distributors and large DIY stores, as well as end customers and
home owners.
The market for single-family homes and apartment buildings
is driven by renovation and refurbishment, especially in mature
countries, as well as construction and upgrades, especially in new
economies.
Whether for renovation or construction, the challenge is to
combine technical constraints, local standards and regulations, as
well as users preferences. Users require comfort and aesthetics,
but increasingly energy performance, connectivity, security and
surveillance too.
The Group’s products and solutions cover:
•electrical distribution and data connection panels, and their
installation systems;
•L ifeS pace control (of energy, heating, lighting, shutters…);
•energy performance (measuring and optimizing usage, alert
systems);
•secure energy:
•access control and security systems;
•electric vehicles charging infrastructures.