| SOCOMEC: 80 YEARS OF SHARING OUR ENERGY |
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22
April 1922 |
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1945: Death of Joseph Siat. His two sons take over the company, with Pierre in charge of production and Maurice in charge of sales and administration. The company starts to manufacture more specific equipment: changeover switches, transformers, rheostat-regulators and high breaking capacity fuse links. |
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1948:
The company abandons the piecework bonus system in favour of a group bonus.
This social innovation, a first in France, gets the full backing of the
workforce, now numbering 60 people. The first Works Council is created.
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| The “Equipment”
division is launched at the end of the 50s to manufacture low voltage distribution
and automatic control assemblies. 1953: The Société des Ateliers de Constructions Électromécaniques du Bas-Rhin changes its name to SOCOMEC. Social development mirrors technological progress; from 1955 onwards SOCOMEC applies law that links the profit-sharing to gains in productivity. A trade union section is created. |
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1960:
With over 150 employees, SOCOMEC increasingly manufactures products for
industrial switchgear purposes: cabinets, switchboards, control consoles,
etc. The first integrated sales office opens in Paris. 1968: The “Electronics” division is launched. The company begins to market high power UPS in partnership with a Swiss manufacturer. A “profit-sharing contract”is signed with employees. |
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1970:
a new production plant is set up regrouping the mounting, warehousing and
cutting workshops. The workforce now numbers 200. 1972: the company is computerised. The first internally designed SOCOMEC UPS are developed in the same year. 1974: Belgian subsidiary set up. The SIRCO switch is also developed this year, proving to be the power house behind the company's commercial development. |
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| 1977: Pierre SIAT, company chairman, retires. His post is taken over by his brother Maurice. |
| 1978:
The “Turbine” division starts up, producing turbogenerators. 1979: Socomec with its power testing lab is a founding member of ASEFA (Association of French Electrical Switchgear Testing Stations), and is accredited by the National Testing Network (RNE - Réseau National d'Essais). |
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1982:
new factory set up in Huttenheim, specifically for UPS production. Under the management of Bernard Steyert, Benoît Siat and Jacques Siat (Joseph Siat's 3 grandsons) the company continues and formalises its quality initiative, implementing a policy of “total quality”. |
| The company obtains the first product certifications: RAQ 3 (armed forces certification) in 1984 for the new range of A2S 80 UPS; later RAQ in 1987 for the A2S 92 range. |
1987: the “Turbine” division is closed. CAD systems begin to be widely employed. 1989: Bernard Steyert becomes company Chairman. The company starts to play the role of cultural sponsor. From 1991 onwards the company's workshops open their doors to concerts and art exhibitions to foster the development of new ideas and initiatives. |
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| 1992:
two subsidiaries in Germany and one in Spain are opened, as well as a sales
office in Kuala Lumpur. Tomi Ungerer takes part in the celebrations of the company's 70th anniversary. 1993: UK subsidiary opens. 1994: the company commits itself to further improvement, implementing the "Working Better Together" training policy for all personnel. A concrete initiative: the personnel can invest in the company's capital. |
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| The entire switchgear activity is ISO 9002 certified, while the UPS business launches the first IGBT 400 kVA on the market and clinches a historic deal to equip the Charles-de-Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier with frequency converters. |
| 1995:
Italian subsidiary for switchgear activity opens. The UPS division is awarded ISO 9001 certification. Taking pride in its values, company management produces the company charter. 1996: industrial organisation is restructured. Manufacturing processes begin using the “just-in-time” (JIT) methodology with autonomous working units. Socomec is voted champion of industrial growth by the trade magazine Usine Nouvelle. A subsidiary is opened in Thailand and a sales office is opened in China. |
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| 1997:
a second subsidiary is opened in the UK. New information technology firmly establishes itself in the company. Socomec changes from centralised IT structure to a network architecture. A lunch and debate on the subject of the Euro are organised in the presence of Jean Arthuis, the French Minister of Finances and the Economy. Socomec wins the top regional prize for exports. |
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1998:
Italian partner Sicon (low power UPS specialists) merges with the group.
After seven years of profitable partnership both companies decide to face
their destiny together.
The group's presence is further enhanced with the integration of subsidiaries in Slovenia and Singapore. The Kuala Lumpur Sicon's sales office closes and relocates to Bangkok. Socomec wins the regional prize for innovation awarded by the French institute for industrial property. |
1999: SOCOMEC opens further subsidiaries in India and Argentina. The UPS production plant is extended by 5300 m2. The group opens its first internet site. |
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| 2000:
the test laboratory is extended and equipped with a turbo-alternator that
enables the platform to achieve short circuits of 100 kA. The laboratory
becomes the second largest electric power test facility in France. Launch of the DELPHYS DS UPS (80 to 200 kVA), which sets a new standard on the market. The company introduces the 35-hour working week. |
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2001: launch of the new range of MODULYS modular UPS systems (1.5 to 24 kVA). |
| 2002:
Michael Carter is appointed Group General Manager and work starts on the
building of the 5200 m2 Timelec plant in Tunisia. Creation of a new subsidiary in the Netherlands. |
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Both businesses are ISO 9001 version 2000 certified. A sales office is opened in China. The Board of Directors of Socomec SA welcomes three external administrators. |
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| 2004: the UPS business almost completely renews its offer with the launch of the new range of MASTERYS (8 to 90 kVA) and DELPHYS MX (250 to 500 kVA) systems. |
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2005: opening of a sales office in Moscow and creation of a sales subsidiary in China. |
| 2006: in order to assure a solid future for all Socomec’s European staff and in order to improve the group's international competitive edge, Socomec orients its industrial organisation into centres of excellence. A 6000 m2 European logistics platform is opened in Alsace, France and work starts to build a new factory in Italy. A sales office is opened in Dubai and a joint venture is set up with Numeric, India's leading distributor of UPS systems. |
| The Socomec group is building on its position as an independent and innovative specialist to pursue its international growth. With a headcount of 2,000, the group is now a leading player on the worldwide low-voltage power distribution market. |
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