Schneider Electric Wants To Power The Digital Future

Posted by Schneider Electric on November 6th, 2017

Schneider Electric are powering full-steam ahead into all things digital, and once you move past the buzzword bingo of keynote speeches, there's plenty to like about what the company is up to.

Schneider is one of those companies IT folk have often never heard of, since they deal with all the hard-core infrastructure like power and cooling systems that all the IT gear actually needs to function. It can be safely ignored by IT most of the time because of how reliable it generally is, at least in the parts of the world obsessed with all things disruption.

Over in many parts of Asia, however, it's a different story. India is still figuring out how to provide reliable power in a country that doesn't have a reliable, country-wide grid system, and is looking at jumping straight to more distributed methods. I was in rural Thailand recently, and the power going out is a regular occurrence you just learn to work around.

Modern computing systems are built on the assumption that power is constantly available, and it takes a remarkable amount of engineering to make that possible. CEO and Chairman Jean-Pascal Tricoire believes that "access to energy is a fundamental human right."

"To achieve this goal," Tricoire says, "We need to become three times more efficient in energy production and use." Tricoire sees the increased adoption of technology, particularly automation and the Internet of Things, as key to achieving this goal. "The future will be more automated, more digitized, and more de-carbonized," he says.

Of course, being heavily involved in the power industry, this isn't really surprising, but I was struck by how much of the vision for Schneider's more industrial customer base mirrors that of data-center and enterprise IT more generally. It's all about automation, digitization, and putting sensors into as many things as possible.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of ~€25 billion in FY2016, our 144,000 employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this *Life Is On*. Schneider Electric is the worldwide expert in energy administration and automation. With incomes of ~€25 billion in FY2016, our 144,000 representatives serve clients in more than 100 nations, Schneider Electric helping them to deal with their energy and process in ways that are protected, dependable, productive and practical. From the least difficult of changes to complex operational frameworks, Schneider Electric innovation, programming and administrations enhance the way our clients oversee and computerize their operations. Schneider Electric associated advancements reshape businesses, change urban communities and advance lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On. Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.