The General Electric Company plc

GEC is not to be confused with General Electric (GE).

It was renamed Marconi plc on November 30, 1999 after demerging its Marconi Electronic Systems.

History

• 1886 - Founded as The General Electric Apparatus Company.
• 1889 - Renamed The General Electric Co. Ltd
• 1968 - The General Electric Company plc merges with English Electric
• 1989 - Power engineering interests separated off into the joint-venture company GEC Alsthom, which in 1998 became independent as Alstom.
• 1995 - Acquired Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd.
• 1999 - Acquired US Telecom network products manufacturer RELTEC, and Internet switching gear maker FORE Systems.
• 1999 - After a period of restructuring, during which the Marconi defence business is sold to British Aerospace, GEC renames itself Marconi Plc.