Thomson-CSF

Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market. Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Houston-Hotchkiss-Brandt (itself a merger between Thomson-Houston and Hotchkiss-Brandt) with the Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil (General Wireless Telegraphy Company, commonly abbreviated as CSF), these two companies being the source of the name Thomson-CSF. It operated as an electronics specialist on products such as broadcasting equipment, electroacoustics, shortwave radio sets, radar systems and television. During the 1970s, it began manufacturing backend telephony equipment, semiconductors and medical imaging apparatus. It also entered into large deals outside of the domestic market, acquiring considerable business in the Middle East. During the late 1980s, Thomson-CSF, anticipating defence spending cutbacks, conducted a radical business restructuring, merging its semiconductor interests with those of the Italian defence group Finmeccanica and exchanging its medical imaging technology for General Electric's consumer electronics businesses. In the latter decades of operation, it built itself into a multinational corporation. During 1989, it acquired Philips' defence electronics business, Hollandse Signaalapparaten B.V. In 1999, the company was privatised, but not before divesting its consumer electronics businesses. Shortly after, it took over the British defence electronics company Racal Electronics. In December 2000, Thomson-CSF was rebranded Thales Group.