Actom and Schneider Electric have finalised a partnership agreement formalising and extending their existing cooperative arrangement in catering to the requirements of the local market for state-of-the-art medium voltage distribution, automation and protection equipment.

This is the first formal partnership agreement between the two companies to come into effect since the international nuclear power specialist company Areva sold its global transmission and distribution business interests in 2010, when Alstom Grid took over the transmission business and Schneider Electric acquired the distribution operations.

Since Schneider Electric succeeded Areva T&D as Actom’s international technology partner and principal for medium voltage business, both companies have complied with the terms of the partnership agreement previously in place between Areva T&D and the local group.

“The new agreement, which takes over directly from the Areva T&D agreement is the same as its predecessor in most respects, but it has been extended in terms of scope and flexibility,” explains Mark Wilson, Actom’s CEO and chairman.

“In essence, the range of products on offer by Schneider Electric has been significantly extended, particularly with respect to the upper end of the power utility market. In addition, Actom’s increasing capabilities to customise these products enhance its flexibility to cater more effectively and widely to customers’ requirements, which include provisions for higher local content value-add than has applied previously.”

“The new agreement encompasses the same range of cooperative activities on both sides as previously, representing significant advantages for both parties in terms of successfully penetrating our major markets, which we couldn’t achieve separately,” he adds.

“What Schneider Electric offers is a range of world-class hi-tech medium voltage products that lend themselves to being combined with a variety of other products and components, both imported and locally produced, adding up to value-added customised packages that fully meet the requirements of the local market, particularly in respect of large electrical infrastructural projects, on which the bulk of Actom’s business is based,” states Wilson.

Power utilities, municipalities, the mining industry and the petrochemical sector are the main and potential users of the range of advanced medium voltage distribution equipment on offer by Schneider Electric. These include loose circuit breakers, gas-insulated ring main units and extensible switchgear, air- and gas-insulated primary distribution systems switchgear, air-insulated fixed pattern switchgear, substation automation systems and protective relays.

“In common with similar partnership arrangements we have with other leading international original equipment manufacturers, our tie-up with Schneider Electric is an ideal arrangement in terms of meeting our customers’ requirements, as well as being of great benefit to our respective companies.”

Wilson emphasises the importance of Actom’s standing as a BBBEE group, combined with its highly vertical integrated local manufacturing facilities and wide range of after-sales support services and national distribution network. These, together with its long-standing good relations with customers and reputation as a reliable high-quality producer and supplier, make it the perfect partner for international specialist manufacturers and suppliers like Schneider Electric.