From en.wikipedia.org:
[French electronics and communication company] {{Infobox company | name =
SAGEM | logo = SAGEM_NEW.svg | logo_size = 200px | type = Public (Société
Anonyme) | successor = Safran | foundation = Paris, France (1924) | founder =
Marcel Môme | key_people = Marcel Môme, Robert Labarre, [Pierre Faurre],
[Grégoire Olivier] | defunct = 2005 (first company)<br />2012 (second company)
| location_city = Paris | location_country = France | industry =
Telecommunications | products = Telecommunications service, electronics,
communications systems | homepage = }}
SAGEM ([fr], translated as "Company of General Applications of Electricity and
Mechanics") was a French company involved in defense electronics, consumer
electronics, and communication systems.
Founded in 1924, SAGEM initially specialised in mechanical engineering and
tool manufacture. Early in its existence, it entered the defense sector. The
company made a foray into telecommunications in 1942 with the first telex
printer, although it was principally a defense-oriented company during the
first few decades of the post-war era. This majority focus upon the military
sector continued for several years after the departure of Marcel Môme, SAGEM's
founder.
During the 1980s, SAGEM's distributed Japanese fax machines while developing
its own technology. Over the traditional defense sector, such products
accounted for a growing share of SAGEM's revenues. During the 1990s, the firm
entered the automotive systems sector. Starting in 1997, the company produced
GSM telephones for the French market, at one point holding roughly 50% of it.
By the turn of the century, SAGEM's net profits neared the FF 1 billion mark
during 1999. In 2005, SAGEM and SNECMA merged to form Safran. Together, the
companies focus mainly on aeronautics, defense, and security. The
communications and mobile telephony businesses were spun off as two
independent entities: Sagemcom and MobiWire.
** History
*** Early years
In 1924, 25-year-old French businessman Marcel Môme founded the _Société
d’Applications Générales de l’Électricité et de la Mécanique_ (SAGEM).<ref
name = "funduni hist"/> Môme would be a key figure for the business in its
first four decades, and remained at the head of the company until 1962. Based
in Paris, SAGEM specialized in mechanical engineering. Early products
included electrical components, power distribution equipment, cameras,
projectors, and other equipment. A key early customer of SAGEM was the French
tyre manufacturer Michelin, for whom the company produced numerous tools and
other equipment. The firm also chose to market its products to the defense
industry.<ref name = "funduni hist">[url =
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sagem-s-a-history/ ]
In 1942, following a request from the French Ministry of Telecommunications,
SAGEM developed a new communication system, the telex printer. This product
marked the company's move toward a larger involvement in the
telecommunications sector. After the Second World War, the company became
increasingly involved in France's defense and aeronautical industries.<ref
name = "funduni hist"/> In 1961, SAGEM was selected to provide the inertial
navigation systems for France's first ballistic missiles, as well as the
optical and navigation systems for the first ballistic missile submarines.
The company maintained its focus on the defense industry even after the
retirement of Môme. Robert Labarre took over the leadership role from Môme as
SAGEM's second president, remaining in this role until 1987.<ref name =
"funduni hist"/>
Although primarily a defense contractor in the post-war era, SAGEM also
developed telecommunications products, including a range of telex machines and
becoming the world's number two manufacturer in the category.<ref name =
"funduni hist"/> SAGEM's management emphasised the importance of research and
development, enabling it to capture a leading role in communications
technology during the early 1980s, when it released the next generation of
screen-based telex machines.<ref name = "funduni hist"/>
*** Growth in telecommunications
Its focus on research helped SAGEM respond to the arrival of fax machines,
which originated in Japan and brought an abrupt end to the monopoly of the
costly telex machine.<ref name = "funduni hist" /> Rather than responding with
the costly development of its own product to challenge this new technology,
while eager to maintain its prominent position in the telecommunications
sector, SAGEM adopted another approach by negotiating a distribution agreement
with Japanese electronics business Murata.<ref name = "funduni hist" /> Under
this deal, SAGEM marketed several of Murata's fax machines in Europe, and
adapted these machines to the requirements of the European market. It used
the distribution arrangement to assist development of SAGEM's own fax machine
technology and subsequently entered the market with its own products.<ref name
= "funduni hist" />
During 1985, Robert Labarre was in the process of transferring control of
SAGEM to [Pierre Faurre] following a management buyout.<ref name = "funduni
hist" /> Seeing the potential of the telecommunications sector, Faurre
reshaped SAGEM into one of Europe's leading high-technology specialists. This
shift was motivated by declining defence budgets across Europe and the
disintegration of the Soviet Union, making involvement in the defence sector
less attractive.<ref name = "funduni hist" /> During the late 1980s, the firm
released several innovations in the fax machine market, including the first
machine capable of printing on standard paper (instead of expensive thermal
paper) and the first home consumer units. During this era, SAGEM experienced
rising sales, topping the FFr 10 billion mark in 1990. Communications
products comprised a growing share of the company's revenues over the defense
sector.<ref name = "funduni hist" />
Throughout the 1990s, the telecommunications sector continued to expand,
seeing rapid advances in mobile telephony, the arrival of digital television
technologies and the emergence of the early 'net-economy.<ref name = "funduni
hist" /> SAGEM, who had developed a reputation as a successful high-tech
manufacturer with a broad range of electronics and communications products was
positioned to exploit this climate. In the mid-1990s, the firm adapting its
technology to automotive control systems and other vehicle subsystems, quickly
becoming a major European automobile electronics supplier.<ref name = "funduni
hist"/> Other product lines SAGEM went into in this period included television
sets, credit card readers and digital set-top boxes.<ref name = "funduni hist"
/>
Starting in 1997, sales of mobile phones grew enormously. SAGEM rapidly
became one of the world's leading manufacturers of GSM telephones, as well as
the leader of the French market, at one point holding roughly 50% of the
market.<ref name = "funduni hist"/> This sector's growth was combined with
other gains, including returns on its investment in Internet technologies. In
1999, SAGEM's revenue increased by more than 19% over the previous year's,
exceeding FFr 22.3 billion. The firm was highly profitable, seeing net
profits nearing the FFr 1 billion mark.<ref name = "funduni hist" />
The defence electronics branch of SAGEM remained active during this time,
despite its declining prominence in the group. Several deals to overhaul and
upgrade aerospace assets were secured during this period.[1][2] In June 1996,
SAGEM was selected to upgrade the electronic systems of some France-built
Mirage aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force, under the ROSE upgrade (Retrofit of
Strike Element) program.[3] Maintaining an interest in unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs), the company struck deals with Dassault Aviation and General
Electric.[4][5]
*** 21st century
SAGEM grouped its business around two activities:
- A communication branch (SAGEM was ranked second among French telecommunication equipment providers);
- A defense and security branch ( _Sagem Défense Sécurité_ ), which covered three domains:
- Optronics and defense (imagers, infrared and light-intensifying cameras, sights, periscope s, gyrostabilized pods, cryptology, UAV systems, etc.);
- Avionics (inertial navigation, civilian and military avionics, guidance and pointing systems);
- Electronics (electronics, software, circuit boards, control units).
In 2005, SAGEM and SNECMA merged to form Safran.[6][7] In 2007, SAGEM launched
its mobile phones into the Indian market, marketed under the trade name
"Bleu".[8]
In 2008, the SAGEM group spun off its communications and mobile telephony
businesses (Sagem Mobile) to focus on core company values. Sagem Sécurité
merged with Ingenico.[9] The broadband business became Sagemcom. The mobile
phone business became Sagem Wireless. The identity, bio-metric and
transaction business became Safran Morpho. The company's defence electronics
business became _Safran Sagem_.
** Products
- Dassault-Sagem SlowFast
- SAGEM Crecerelle
- CU161 Sperwer Tactical UAV system
- Inertial Unit Sigma 30
- Safran Patroller UAV
*** Mobile phones
**** 9xx series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- M9500
- COCACOLA (mc 922)
- DC 918
- MC 912
- MC 919
- MC 920
- MC 922 FM
- MC 926
- MC 929
- MC 929 FM
- MC 930
- MC 932
- MC 939
- MC 940
- MC 949
- MC 959 ID
- MC 959R
- MC916
- MC919
- MC932
- MC959
- MC968
- MC986
- MW930
- MW932
- MW9500
- MW963E
- PW 959
- RC 920
- RC 922
- RC 926
- RENAULT (mc 922)
- RC 930
|small=yes}}
**** my100Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my100X
- Sagem my101X
- Sagem my150X
|small=yes}}
**** my200Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my200C
- Sagem my200X
- Sagem my201X
- Sagem my202C
- Sagem my202X
- Sagem my210X
- Sagem my212X
- Sagem my214X
- Sagem my215X
- Sagem my220X
- Sagem my226X
- Sagem my230X
- Sagem my231X
- Sagem my234X
|small=yes}}
**** my300Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my300C
- Sagem my300X
- Sagem my301X
- Sagem my302X
- Sagem my303X
- Sagem my310X
- Sagem my312X
|small=yes}}
**** my400Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my400V
- Sagem my400X
- Sagem my401C
- Sagem my401Ci
- Sagem my401V
- Sagem my401X
- Sagem my401Z
- Sagem my405X
- Sagem my411c
- Sagem my411v
- Sagem my411x
- Sagem my419x
- Sagem my421z
- Sagem my421x
- Sagem my429x
|small=yes}}
**** my500Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my500X
- Sagem my501c
- Sagem my501h
- Sagem my511X
- Sagem my519x
- Sagem my521x
|small=yes}}
**** my600Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my600X
- Sagem my600V
|small=yes}}
**** my700Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my700X
- Sagem my721x
- Sagem my721z
- Sagem my730c
- Sagem my750x
- Sagem my750+
|small=yes}}
**** my800Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my800X
- Sagem my810x
- Sagem my850C
- Sagem my855c
|small=yes}}
**** my900Phone series
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem my900C
- Sagem my901C
|small=yes}}
**** Other MY models
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
- Sagem myC2-3
- Sagem myC3-2
- SAGEM MyC4-2
- Sagem myC5-2
- Sagem myC5-3
- Sagem myZ-5
- Sagem myW-7
- Sagem myV-55
- Sagem myV-56
- Sagem myV-65
- Sagem myV-76
- Sagem myZ-55
- Sagem myX-1 Trio
- Sagem myX1-2
- Sagem myX2-2
- Sagem myX3-2
- Sagem myX-4
- Sagem myX5-2
- Sagem myX6-2
- Sagem myX-7
- Sagem myX-8
- Sagem myMobileTV
- Sagem my Xt
- Sagem myS-7
|small=yes}}
** References
[30em]
** External links
- [Commons category-inline]
[48]
[Safran] [SAGEM] [Companies] [Authority control]
[DEFAULTSORT:Sagem] Category:Defence companies of France Category:Electronics
companies of France Category:Manufacturing companies of France
Category:Technology companies of France Category:Defunct companies of France
Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1924 Category:Technology
companies established in 1924 Category:Electronics companies established in
1924 Category:French companies established in 1924 Category:Manufacturing
companies disestablished in 2005 Category:Technology companies disestablished
in 2005 Category:Electronics companies disestablished in 2005 Category:French
companies disestablished in 2005 Category:2005 mergers and acquisitions