Rexel
 |
|
| Public | |
| Traded as | Euronext: RXL |
| Industry | Distribution of electrical supplies |
| Founded | 1967 (under the name CDME: Compagnie de Distribution de Matériel Electrique) |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
|
Key people
|
Ian Meakins, Chairman of the board of directors |
| Revenue | €13.2 billion (2016) |
| €134.3 million (2016) | |
|
Number of employees
|
28,000 (2015) |
| Website | www.rexel.com |
Rexel is a French group founded in 1967, which specializes in the distribution of electrical supplies to professional users. It distributes products and services in the areas of automation, technical supply and energy management. The company offers a wide range of products and services, including products in the lighting, security, automation, climate control, communication, building automation and renewable energies sectors. The group has 2,100 sales outlets (branches) in 35 countries and 28,000 employees. The company positions itself as a leader in its market.
The Rexel group originated from the Compagnie de Distribution de Matériel Electrique (CDME), created in 1967 by Compagnie LEBON. CDME was created by the merger of four companies (Revimex, Facen, Sotel and Lienard-Soval). Specialised in the sale of electrical supplies, the company developed in France by acquiring family-run regional companies. In 1978, CDME launched a branch for the distribution of professional electronic and computing equipment, and diversified into the industrial supplies trade.
From the 1980s, CDME developed in European and international markets, establishing a presence in Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Benelux, the Federal Republic of Germany, Singapore, and Canada.
In 1983, CDME entered the unlisted securities market of the Paris stock exchange. It was at that time that it became the leading distributor of electrical supplies in France with more than 20 percent of the domestic market and a 6-percent share worldwide. In 1986, the company established a presence in the United States. At that time, it had around 350 sales outlets, including 65 abroad. In 1987, the Compagnie Française de l'Afrique Occidentale (CFAO) became CDME’s largest shareholder (68 percent).
Pinault Group acquired a majority stake in CDME in December 1990; CDME was then the biggest distributor of electrical supplies (30 percent market share) in France, Belgium and Portugal; this new subsidiary represented 38 percent of the Pinault Group revenue. In June 1993, CDME merged with Groupelec Distribution (third on the French market). The group adopted the Rexel name.
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Wikipedia