Citect bought by Schneider
I first saw the news in an email from theARC Advisory Group followed by a more thorough analysis by Jim Pinto about HMI/SCADA/MES software developer Citect being acquired by French automation and construction electrical supplier Schneider Electric. Schneider is best known in the US by its Square D brand.
I began to believe several months ago that Citect was ripe for purchase and I've wondered for years why Schneider didn't acquire a software company. It, alone of the major automation suppliers, had no software offering of its own. In fact, I broached the subject with Citect US President Darren Trumeter during the MESA International conference in Orlando last month. He finnessed the move so to speak.
What will this mean in the US (or the rest of the world, for that matter)? Citect is an Australian company and was technically purchased by the Australian subsidiary of Schneider. Given that Schneider has had a less than stellar record of integrating purchases (bought Steeplechase eventually selling the PC control company to Phoenix Contact; bought Modicon but wound up scuttling everything including the brand name), I wonder if this will just be a bolt on offering. Right now, Schneider is allowing motion automation supplier Elau to run its own ship. Maybe the same will happen here? We'll just have to wait and see.
I am leaving in an hour for Japan and the Yokogawa 90th birthday celebration in Tokyo. Automation World Editorial Director Jane Gerold has an appointment with Trumeter at the ISA Expo this week. When she reports back, I'll pass along any preliminary thoughts.
By the way, the Pinto newsletter also has a bit about Jeff Immelt, the CEO of GE. Very interesting.
6:12:37 AM 
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