News | July 6, 2000

Schneider Electric and Toshiba form new joint venture

Source: Square D / Schneider Electric
This move will strengthen each company's position in the speed drives market worldwide — more specifically in Japan, the United States and Europe.

Schneider Electric (Rueil Malmaison, France) and Toshiba Corporation will form a joint venture to develop and produce speed drives up to 630 kW for the industrial production and construction markets. The new company — Schneider Toshiba Inverter SAS — will be operational in 2001.

By joining forces, the companies hope to:

  • reduce time to market and development costs
  • introduce more new products
  • meet customer needs more effectively worldwide.

    Schneider Electric will own 60% of the joint venture and Toshiba 40%. Schneider Toshiba Inverter SAS will have a level of activity of 400 million Euro and 470 employees. The headquarters and European subsidiary will be located in Pacy sur Eure, France. The company will also have a Japanese subsidiary in Mie and an American subsidiary in Houston, Texas.

    This project is the latest in a series of cooperative agreements between the companies in industrial control and low voltage. Their partnership, which stretches back more than ten years, has led to the creation of several joint ventures:

    1992 - Joint venture in Batam, Indonesia to manufacture contractors
    1998 - Joint venture in Japan to develop small speed drives
    1999 - Joint venture to sell a common range of electrical distribution and industrial control products in Japan

    For more information on Schneider Electric and MODICON automation products, contact Square D / Schneider Electric at 1-800-392-8781.

    Edited by: Jerry R. Borland, P.E.