Additional $7 Million Commitment to Provide Safe Electrical Systems For Thousands of Families Throughout North America
PALATINE, Ill. — January 15, 2007 — More than 200 Square D/Schneider Electric business leaders will work alongside Gautier, Miss., residents Jan. 30 to build houses and community spaces for one of Habitat for Humanity’s largest corporate site builds. The organization’s efforts kick off the Schneider Electric North American Operating Division 2007 Leadership Forum with a $7 million commitment to Habitat for Humanity over the next 4½ years. The funding will provide Habitat homes across North America with Square D brand electrical distribution equipment. Square D is the flagship brand of Schneider Electric in the United States for electrical distribution and industrial control products, systems and services.
Building three homes, a playground and a neighborhood pavilion in Gautier continues the Schneider Electric / Square D commitment to rebuilding the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Region and assisting Habitat for Humanity in its efforts to help low-income and hurricane-displaced families achieve homeownership.
The annual January Leadership Forum of the Schneider Electric North American Operating Division sets the direction of the new business year for the company’s senior management team. This year, the forum will be held in Biloxi, Miss., to underscore the organization’s Cornerstone Partner relationship with Habitat for Humanity and its commitment to employee involvement and service to the community. Using its senior leadership team as an example, the company wants to illustrate that in 2007, it will be on a “Mission for the Community” as well as for its customers.
“The Gulf Region continues to feel the devastating effects of the 2005 hurricane season. Ongoing dedication to assisting and rebuilding this region is vital to restoring it to the thriving community it once was,” said Dave Petratis, president and CEO of the Schneider Electric North American Operating Division. “Square D and Schneider Electric are committed to acting after disaster strikes. In addition, our long-standing partnership with Habitat for Humanity helps us make a positive difference long after the storms have passed.”
As a National Partner and a Cornerstone Society member of Habitat’s “More Than Houses” campaign, Square D/Schneider Electric has already contributed approximately $6 million in residential electrical distribution equipment for use in homes built in the United States, Canada and Mexico since 2001. In addition, the company donated labor, supplies and more than $1 million to eight separate rebuilding initiatives in the Gulf Region last year, attempting to restore cherished community locations such as athletic facilities, museums and a medical clinic damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
“We are grateful to Square D and Schneider Electric for its work in helping Habitat for Humanity on a national scale,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “The generous donation of time, money and equipment from the company and its employees help us to improve and enrich lives with simple, decent and affordable housing.”
The $7 million financial commitment to Habitat for Humanity will provide each home with a Square D brand load center, circuit breakers and other related electrical equipment.
Headquartered in Palatine, Ill., the North American Operating Division of Schneider Electric had sales of $2.8 billion (U.S.) in 2005. The North American Operating Division is one of four operating divisions of Schneider Electric, headquartered in Paris, France, and markets the Square D, Telemecanique and Merlin Gerin brand products to customers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the United States, Schneider Electric is best known by its flagship Square D brand, with Telemecanique becoming increasingly known in the industrial control and automation markets and supported by many Square D distributors. For 100 years, Square D has been a market-leading brand of electrical distribution and industrial control products, systems and services. Schneider Electric is a global electrical industry leader with 2005 sales of approximately $14.5 billion (U.S.).
