ABSTRACT
In the specific area of electrical energy, there were numerous early transfers of technology. Indeed, from the late 19th century onwards, some international exhibitions focused exclusively on electricity with a view to developing trade, competitiveness and innovation. Moreover, the unique universal system introduced for electrical units in 1881 favoured the establishment of dedicated international centres tasked with sharing scientific, technical and industrial knowledge. 1 At the international meetings in question, various agreements were signed to boost industries’ competitiveness in a growing market. 2 In France, companies like SACM (Société Alsacienne de Construction Mécanique 3 ) and Schneider started to develop their electrical building activities in 1888, initially relying on foreign patents to strengthen their development strategy. This was also the case for Als-thom (known as Alsthom since 1932, and Alstom since 1998), 4 which has since become a global player in the energy and railway building areas. The firm came into being in 1928 when SACM and the Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston (CFTH) were merged to run the Thomson-Houston processes (at the time, CFTH was a major manufacturer of French electrical materials). Some 15,000 employees worked for this new company comprising seven production sites. 5 In the merger, CFTH Company gained the right to use American techniques under the cooperation agreement signed in 1919 with General Electric Co. in the electromechanical building field. At the time, GE was the first firm to introduce scientific results into industrial activities. A laboratory was set up in 1900 in Schenectady, New York, which employed the leading American researchers. For 63 years, CFHT took advantage of GE patents for a fee and could open its own offices in all departments of the US firm, allowing it to benefit from the latest electrical building innovations. Moreover, exclusive agreements were signed covering various markets, including mainland France and its overseas territories. This cooperation long affected the nature of the relationship between GE and Als-thom, because the extension of their cooperation agreement gave Als-thom access to the immense technical and commercial resources of GE, the world’s leading electromechanical builder. 6 GE bought 4,000 shares in Als-thom. Because of this relationship between GE and Als-thom, the direct French competitor, Schneider, rapidly developed close ties with Westinghouse, leading concretely to a subsidiary company: SW Electrical Materials. This also marked the arrival of American technology in France and the beginning of interaction with European capitals.
