Schneider Electric power distribution products and energy management components are installed in 40%–60% of buildings in all major cities around the world, prompting one company executive to call it “the world’s biggest invisible brand.” It is also likely the largest company you’ve never heard of. Schneider Electric is headquartered in France and has 144,000 employees in over 100 countries. Founded in 1836 by two brothers, the company moved from a focus on steel and industrial products to electricity and energy after the acquisition of Merlin Gerin in 1975. Now, the multi-national conglomerate is the parent company of some of the best known electricity, automation, and energy brands in the world, including Square D, Télémécanique, Asco, Andover, and TAC Controls.

Schneider Electric possesses tens of thousands of patents throughout the world as a result of its many acquisitions, but folding these well-known brand acquisitions into the parent company has proven difficult for Schneider. As a result, there’s substantial confusion amongst facility managers, end-users and engineers. about who Schneider Electric really is. So, while Square D is one of the best known brands in the world of electrical products, many still don’t know that Schneider has owned Square D since 1991.

Most important to the world of building intelligence and building automation – Schneider Electric acquired Invensys, TAC, and Andover controls over the past 15 years. These three best-in-class brands eventually gave way to the Schneider Electric StruxureWare platform, now known as EcoStruxure, an Internet-of-Things (IoT) building operation platform. Leveraging its strengths and the know-how of the acquired companies, Schneider Electric engineered upgrade paths from each of the three legacy systems to the new IoT EcoStruxure platform, allowing customers to phase in building management upgrades. This differs from other controls manufacturers that obsolesce controls lines and parts, doubling the expense required to update systems to the newest technology.

Schneider Electric maintains a select list of partner integrators, like Athena Engineering, Inc., that are authorized integrators of the Schneider Electric line. This gives clients a choice of service provider in an environment where service and software are increasingly more important than just product selection.

We wanted to provide a quick run-down of what brands make up Schneider Electric’s portfolio, as well as what partner integrators, like Athena Engineering, can provide for our clients. Mind you – this list will probably change as soon as we publish this post, but it’s a start of the untangling process. To download the Brand Quick-Reference, please click here!

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Company Business
Telemecanique Manufacturer of electrical circuit breakers, switchgear, and sensors
Square D Manufacturer of electrical circuit breakers, switchgear, and sensors
Merlin Gerin Manufacturer of electrical circuit breakers, switchgear, and sensors
TAC Building automation and control
MGE UPS Systems Power supplier
Clipsal Wiring
Kavlico Pressure Sensors
Andover Controls Building automation & security
Power Measurement Energy Management
APC Power backup and protection and electrical distribution
Pelco Video security
Viconics Electronics Building automation products including wireless solutions
Invensys Information technology and building automation
Asco Transfer switches, power control systems and industrial control products
WiserAir In-house brand of primarily residential smart thermostats (i.e. similar to Nest)
Barber Coleman Pneumatic Valves and Valve Actuators
EcoStruxure IoT platform for building automation (formerly SmartStruxure and/or StruxureWare)