Mersen

Mersen, previously called Carbone Lorraine,[1] is a French international company in electrical power and advanced materials. It is based in 35 countries across the globe with 53 production facilities.[2] The company also has 15 Research and Development centers. In 2018, the firm recorded sales of 879 M€, an increase of + de 10% compared to 2017.[3] They work with more than 6900 people all around the world.[4] In 1937, (establishment of the Carbone Lorraine), the company was admitted to Bourse de Paris. Mersen is listed on Euronext Paris, and is present on the CAC Small index (mnémo : MRN).[5]

Mersen SA
TypeSociété anonyme
Euronext: MRN
ISINFR0000039620 
IndustryExpert in Electrical Power and Advanced Materials
Founded1891
Headquarters
La Défense
,
France
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Luc Themelin
(CEO)
Products
Revenue€950 million (2019)
€102.1 million (2019)
€59.8 million (2019)
Number of employees
6,800 (December 2019)
Websitewww.mersen.com

History

Mersen, previously named Carbone Lorraine (until May 20, 2010), was created in 1891 by the Compagnie lorraine de charbons pour l’électricité in Pagny-sur-Moselle (Lorraine), where the Group still owns a plant. In 1937, it merged with Le Carbone, a company based in Gennevilliers, (Hauts-de-Seine) where the Group kept and operated the original plant.

Carbone Lorraine's factory in Gennevilliers

La Compagnie lorraine de charbons pour l’électricité was founded in Meurthe-et-Moselle in1891. It first manufactured motors, dynamos and lighting lamps before producing « carbons » for electric lighting. At the same time, Le Carbone, founded in 1892 in Paris, produced brushes for electric motors. In 1893, Charles Street, an engineer at Le Carbone, discovered and patented the process of carbon graphitization which allowed the manufacture of synthetic graphite.[6] He patented his idea under the title « Continuous electric furnace system »[7]

During the 80s, Groupe Pechiney acquired a majority stake (61 percent) in Carbone Lorraine and financed an expansion and diversification process. The company expanded beyond its core production of graphite brushes, starting to manufacture carbon–carbon disc brakes for racing motorcycles and developing specific components for nuclear and aerospace industries

In addition, it acquired a number of competitors such as Ferraz, one of the biggest manufacturers of fuses and electrical protection systems.[8] Then, it took the control of Stackpole, which led it to become one of the world leaders in graphite production.[9]

In 1995, Pechiney sold 21% of its stake to Paribas Affaires Industrielles(PAI).[10] In the following years, Carbone Lorraine strengthened its position by making acquisitions in Europe and in the United States, in particular in 1999 the acquisition of the Gould-Shawmut Protection Electrique division; enabling it to become a leader in power semiconductor protection. Paribas sold its Carbone Lorraine shares on the market in 2005.[11]

In May 2010, the General Shareholders' Meeting approved the change of name of the group proposed by management. Carbone Lorraine became Mersen.[12] This name is a tribute to Marin Mersenne, a 17th century mathematician and philosopher, and is also the acronym for Material, Electrical, Research, Sustainable, ENergy.

Acquisitions
Date Society Expertise/Business
2020 Acquisition of GAB Neumann[13] Specialist in graphite and silicon carbide heat exchangers
2019 Acquisition of Advanced Graphite Materials Italy[14] Specialist in graphite and carbon fiber insulation
2018 Acquisition of FTCap[15] Designer and manufacturer of capacitors
2018 Acquisition of Idealec[16] Designer and manufacturer of laminated bus bars
2018 Acquisition of the remaining capital of Cirprotec Specialist in lightning and overvoltage protection
2016 Joint venture, named Hatan Electrical Carbon, with Harbin Electric Carbon in China Player on the railway market
2015 Acquisition of ASP Specialists in overvoltage protection
2014 Majority stake in Cirprotec[17] Specialists in lightning and overvoltage protection (SPD)
2011 Acquisition of Eldre[18] Specialists in laminated busbars
2010 Purchase of a majority shareholding in Yantaï[19] Strengthening in solar energy
2010 Acquisition of a majority shareholding in Boostec Silicon carbide specialist
2008 Acquisition of Calcarb[20] World n°2 in rigid carbon felts
2008 Acquisition of Xianda and Mingrong Electrical Protection (MEP)[21] Anticorrosion equipement and Electrical protection and control
2006 Acquisition of R-Theta Specialists in power electronics
1999 Acquisition of a division of the Gould-Shawmut group[22] Specialists in electrical protection
1991 Acquisition of Stackpole’s assets (United-States) Electrical and high temperature applications
1985 Acquisition of Ferraz[23] Manufacturer of industrial fuses  

Products and services

Mersen is organized in two segments: Advanced Materials segment (AM) and Electrical Power segment (EP)

Advanced Materials segment represents 55% of total sales. It includes 3 activities around carbon-based materials:

  • Resistance against very high temperatures: Isostatic graphite equipment, rigid and soft felt.
  • Protection against corrosion: this is provided by equipment using graphite, reactive metals (tantalum, zirconium, titanium, etc.) and fluorinated polymers (PTFE).
  • Electric power transfer: the Group’s range provides stable and constant generation, flow and transformation of electrical current in industry and transportation. This function is carried out with brushes, brush holders and slip rings used in generators and motors, and special collection systems for the rail sector.

Electrical Power segment represents 45% of total sales. It includes 2 activities related to electricity markets:

  • Power conversion: change the nature, voltage, intensity or frequency of the current to meet very diverse applications, such speed drivers,transformation of solar and wind energy, and the management of battery-based systems. To perform this function, Mersen designs cooling devices, bus bars, capacitors and high-speed fuses that are integrated around power electronics components or lithium-ion battery packs
  • Equipment and people protection: prevent the destruction of industrial and commercial electrical equipment, ensure an uninterrupted power supply and help to stabilize the electrical network. This function is performed by industrial fuses and all related accessories and by surge protection devices.

Markets

Mersen serves 5 main markets: Energy, Electronics, Chemicals and pharmaceuticals, Transportation and Process Industries.

Energy

Mersen develops equipment used in energy production and distribution.

Solar energy: Ultra-pure graphite equipment, graphite parts for polysilicon ingot drawing furnaces.

Wind energy: Signal transmission systems, brushes and brush-holders, fuses and cooling devices.

Electronics

Equipment for the production in silicon or silicon carbide of LEDs and semiconductors, power electronics equipment necessary for the conversion of power energy.

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Equipment adapted to highly corrosive chemical processes, in particular for phosphoric acid, chlorine-soda, pharmaceutical active ingredients, isocyanates, acid manufacturing and specialty chemicals.

Transportation

Railway industry: equipment for the distribution of energy to motors and auxiliaries (power conversion systems)

Aeronautics: Components that reduce weight, fuel consumption and total cost of use (carbon/carbon composite brake discs, major components for auxiliary engines).

Electric vehicles: Ultra-fast fuses, bus-bars and cooling devices for high-end electric vehicles and heavy vehicles.

Process industries

Range of products for process industries: metallurgy, high-temperature furnace industry, sintering processes, glass industry, rubber and plastics industry and pulp and paper industry.

Governance[24]

Executive committee

The Group is led by a Board of Directors. The operational management is under the responsibility of a CEO who relies on an executive committee.

Luc Themelin is Mersen’s Chief Executive Officer since May 11, 2016. He was Chairman of the Management Board between August, 2011 and May 2016. He joined the Mersen group in 1993 as a Research and Development engineer. He was appointed Director of the Braking Division in 1998 and Director of the High Temperatures Division in 2004.

Thomas Baumgartner is Mersen’s CFO since March 2010. He was a member of the Management Board between August 2011 and May 2016.

Gilles Boisseau is Group Vice President, Electrical Power since May 2015.

Christophe Bommier is Group Vice President, Technology, Research, Innovation and Business Support.  He was a member of the Management Board between August 2011 and December 2015.

Thomas Farkas is Group Vice President, Strategy & Development since 2006.

Jean-Philippe Fournier is Group Vice President, Operational Excellence since September 2013

Eric Guajioty is Group Vice President, Advanced Materials since January 2016.

Estelle Legrand is Group Vice President Human Resources since May 2010, after serving as Deputy Vice President between September 2009 and May 2010.

Didier Muller is Group Vice President, Asia and Latin America. He was a member of the Management Board between August 2011 and December 2015.

Board of Directors

Olivier Legrain, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and also an independent member.[25]

Isabelle Azemard, is a representative of Bpifrance Investissement.

Pierre Creusy, is an employee representative.

Michel Crochon is an independent member.

Carolle Foissaud is an independent member.

Magali Joëssel, permanent representative of Bpifrance Investissement.

Denis Thiery is an independent member.

Ulrike Steinhorst is an independent member.

  • Audit and Accounts Committee

Chairman: Denis Thiery

Members: Michel Crochon, Carolle Foissaud, Magali Joëssel

  • Governance and Remuneration Committee:

Chairman: Ulrike Steinhorst

Members: Isabelle Azemard, Pierre Creusy, Olivier Legrain, Denis Thiery

Global footprint
Mersen site in Bommasandra, close to Bangalore, India

In 2019, the compagny generated a turnover of 950 M€, an increase of 8% compared to 2018.

Percentage of turnover by region, in 2019:

  • Europe: 34%
  • North America: 35%
  • Asia–Pacific Ocean: 28%
  • South America–Africa: 3%

Present in 35 countries and on four continents, Mersen has 53 industrial sites around the world, including:

  • 22 in Europe
  • 13 in North America
  • 13 in Asia–Pacific Ocean
  • 5 in South America–Africa

References
  1. "Carbone Lorraine se rebaptise " Mersen " pour verdir son image". Les Echos (in French). 2010-04-14. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  2. ACTU -, 8 Avr 2019 |-; 7/7; ACCORD; FRANCE; INDUSTRIEL (2019-04-08). "Mersen choisi pour équiper le premier bus 100% électrique d'Alstom". VIPress.net (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-26.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. Bouton, Muriel (2019-03-13). "Mersen affiche une belle hausse de sa rentabilité en 2018". Le Revenu (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  4. ACTU -, 8 Avr 2019 |-; 7/7; ACCORD; FRANCE; INDUSTRIEL (2019-04-08). "Mersen choisi pour équiper le premier bus 100% électrique d'Alstom". VIPress.net (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-26.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. "live | Live markets". live.euronext.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  6. Liszt, Franz; Saffle, Michael; Street-Klindworth, Agnes (2000). Franz Liszt and Agnes Street-Klindworth: A Correspondence, 1854-1886. Pendragon Press. ISBN 9781576470060. charles street carbone lorraine.
  7. "A 100 ans, la société Mersen garde une santé de fer". leparisien.fr (in French). 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  8. Bourse, Zone. "Carbone Lorraine : Ferraz Shawmut s'empare de Lenoir Elec. | Zone bourse". www.zonebourse.com (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  9. "History of Carbone Lorraine S.A. – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  10. "Le Carbone Lorraine quitte le giron du secteur public". Les Echos (in French). 1995-04-07. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  11. "Carbone Lorraine - Sale of BNP Paribas' 21% interest - 25% increase in the free float". www.edubourse.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  12. à 07h00, Le 28 octobre 2014 (2014-10-28). "A 100 ans, la société Mersen garde une santé de fer". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  13. "Mersen met la main sur l'allemand GAB Neumann". Investir (in French). Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  14. "MERSEN annonce une nouvelle acquisition dans le graphite". Capital.fr (in French). 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  15. Higgelke, Ralf. "Merger: Mersen acquires capacitor specialist FTCAP". www.elektroniknet.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  16. "Mersen: acquisition d'Idealec finalisée". VotreArgent.fr (in French). 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  17. "MERSEN se renforce au capital de Cirprotec". Capital.fr (in French). 2018-04-06. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  18. "Mersen annonce la réalisation de l'acquisition d'Eldre". Filière 3e (in French). 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  19. "Mersen va acquérir 60% du chinois Yantai Zhifu Graphite". Investir (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  20. "Carbone Lorraine: rachète la totalité de Calcarb". ABC Bourse (in French). Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  21. "French Mersen controls 100% in Chinese Mingrong Electrical Protection". Renewablesnow.com. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  22. "Ferraz to buy Gould Shawmut". Electrical Wholesaling. 2003-08-01. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  23. "Ferraz to buy Gould Shawmut". Electrical Wholesaling. 2003-08-01. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  24. "MERSEN simplifie sa gouvernance". Capital.fr (in French). 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  25. AFP, Le Figaro fr avec (2017-05-18). "Mersen se dote d'un nouveau président". Le Figaro.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-04-16.
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