ANNUAL REPORT 2011 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - Saft

8
INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND ITS SHARE CAPITAL
Group history
8.2 GROUP HISTORY
� 1918
Société des Accumulateurs Fixes et de Traction (Saft SA) is
founded in France by two Swiss electrochemists to manufacture
and distribute nickel-based batteries for industrial applications
and forklift trucks.
� 1928
Acquisition of Saft by Compagnie Générale d’Electricité (which
later became Alcatel).
� 1940-1980
Saft develops its operations in the United Kingdom (1940s)
and in the United States (1970s).
In the early 1980s, Saft commences operations in Asia
(Singapore).
� 1980-1995
The shares of Saft SA are listed on the Paris Bourse. At the start
of the 1990s, Alcatel repurchases all the shares of Saft SA,
which was de-listed in 1995.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Group acquires two
of its major competitors, Nife and Alcad, as well as the Czech
company Ferak, to strengthen its position in the industrial
battery market.
� 2000
Acquisition of Tadiran, an Israeli manufacturer of lithium
batteries, with operations in Israel, the United States and
Germany including a 50% stake in Sonnenschein Lithium in
Germany.
� 2001
Saft signifi cantly downsizes its rechargeable battery division
(now the RBS division), through the closure of a manufacturing
facility in Tijuana, Mexico and the sale of its battery assembly
facility in Korea and its Uniross distribution facility, resulting
in a workforce reduction of approximately 1,300 employees.
Acquisition of Hawker Eternacell, a leading provider of lithium
batteries to the US and UK armed forces. Saft also increases
its stake in ASB from 22% to 50%, and increases its stake
in Sonnenschein Lithium from 50% to 100%. All of these
companies are now part of its SBG division.
� 2003
Acquisition of the German company Friemann und Wolf
Batterietechnik GmbH (Friwo) and the assets of Emisa and
Centra from Exide. These companies produce industrial nickelbased
batteries, lithium batteries for the defence industry and
batteries for torpedoes.
� 2004
Acquisition from Alcatel of all of the Group’s businesses by the
Doughty Hanson Funds.
� 2005
Reorganisation of the Group into Saft Groupe SA, to which
are directly or indirectly linked all the subsidiaries in the Group,
and admission of Saft Groupe SA shares to trading on the
Eurolist market of Euronext Paris on 29 June 2005. Set-up of a
production plant at Zhuhai in southern China, via the creation
of a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Acquisition of a 51% stake in the capital of AMCO Power
Systems, an Indian manufacturer of nickel-based batteries
located in Bangalore.
� 2006
Creation of the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture to address
the hybrid and electric vehicle market. Saft holds 49% and
Johnson Controls holds 51% of the joint venture.
� 2008
Start-up of the new Johnson Controls-Saft production line in
Nersac, France, dedicated to lithium-ion batteries for hybrid
and electric vehicles.
� 2009
Launch of two major industrial projects to build two lithiumion
production plants, one in Florida (Saft plant) and the other
in Michigan (project led by the Johnson Controls-Saft joint
venture).
To fi nance these two projects and achieve greater fi nancial
fl exibility, the Group carried out a capital increase of
€120 million.
� 2011
Start of production and fi rst deliveries of lithium-ion cells from
the new lithium-ion manufacturing plant at Jacksonville.
Disposal by the Group of its 49% stake in the joint venture
Johnson Controls-Saft on 30 September 2011.
SAFT - ANNUAL REPORT 2011 / 197