Associated Electrical Industries
Encyclopedia
Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) was a British
holding company formed in 1928 through the merger of the British Thomson-Houston Company (BTH) and Metropolitan-Vickers
electrical engineering companies. In 1967 AEI was acquired by GEC, to create the UK's largest electrical group.
AEI was created from several brands such as Metropolitan-Vickers, BTH, Ferguson & Pailin (switchgear), Edison Swan (lamps and radio valves), Siemens Bros., Hotpoint
(domestic appliances), W.T. Henley, Newton Victor (X-ray machines), and Birlec (electric furnaces).
Rivalry existed between Metrovick and BTH brands in the Electrical Engineering field, resulting in internal competition and duplicated management. In 1959 AEI decided to remove those brands and consolidate both as AEI brands, resulting in internal problems and a fall in sales and resulting market value.
This paved the way for a merger in 1967 with the recently restructured GEC under Arnold Weinstock
.
GEC later went through substantial restucturing, including in 1989 forming GEC ALSTHOM & Cegelec Projects.
GEC ALSTHOM was created from the GEC's Power & Transport businesses (originally AEI (previously BTH & Metrovick) and English Electric) and the French Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (CGE) the merger was to enable both companies a greater export into Europe.
GEC in Rugby was split into GEC Alstom
and Cegelec
Projects, but in 1998 the two companies were reunited under the Alstom banner.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
holding company formed in 1928 through the merger of the British Thomson-Houston Company (BTH) and Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, they were particularly well known for their industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam...
electrical engineering companies. In 1967 AEI was acquired by GEC, to create the UK's largest electrical group.
AEI was created from several brands such as Metropolitan-Vickers, BTH, Ferguson & Pailin (switchgear), Edison Swan (lamps and radio valves), Siemens Bros., Hotpoint
Hotpoint
The Hotpoint Electric Heating Company is a British brand of domestic appliances. The brand is currently fully owned by Italy's Indesit....
(domestic appliances), W.T. Henley, Newton Victor (X-ray machines), and Birlec (electric furnaces).
Rivalry existed between Metrovick and BTH brands in the Electrical Engineering field, resulting in internal competition and duplicated management. In 1959 AEI decided to remove those brands and consolidate both as AEI brands, resulting in internal problems and a fall in sales and resulting market value.
This paved the way for a merger in 1967 with the recently restructured GEC under Arnold Weinstock
Arnold Weinstock
Arnold Weinstock, Baron Weinstock was an English businessman whom The Guardian newspaper called "Britain's premier post-second-world-war industrialist."...
.
GEC later went through substantial restucturing, including in 1989 forming GEC ALSTHOM & Cegelec Projects.
GEC ALSTHOM was created from the GEC's Power & Transport businesses (originally AEI (previously BTH & Metrovick) and English Electric) and the French Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (CGE) the merger was to enable both companies a greater export into Europe.
GEC in Rugby was split into GEC Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
and Cegelec
Cegelec
Cegelec is a European company providing technological services to companies and public authorities. It has a workforce of 25,000 and has a presence in 30 countries. It has been a subsidiary of Vinci since 2010....
Projects, but in 1998 the two companies were reunited under the Alstom banner.