Background : Acquisition of Plessey and GPT (1986-1997)
See also: Plessey#GEC takeover bid, Plessey#Break-up of the business, and Siemens communications#HistoryThe evolution of Marconi Communications traces to 1986, when The General Electric Company (GEC) attempts a takeover of Plessey - a historic British-based international electronics, defence and telecommunications company founded in 1917. The takeover bid was barred by regulatory authorities. As an amicable solution, GEC and Plessey merged their telecommunications businesses on 1 April 1988 as 'GEC Plessey Telecommunications' (commonly to be known as 'GPT'). GPT was a world leader in many fields, for example Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) technology, and this brought the two companies responsible for developing and building the System X telephone exchange together, which was supposed to make selling System X simpler.
In 1989, GEC and the German conglomerate - Siemens AG acquired the Plessey Company through their joint holding company, GEC Siemens plc. While most of Plessey assets were divided between the companies (see : Plessey#Break-up of the business); GPT remained a joint venture, with a 60/40 shareholding between GEC and Siemens respectively. GEC Plessey Telecommunications officially renamed itself GPT, which would continue to exist merely as a legal entity.
During the mid 1990s, the name GPT gradually disappeared in the UK; and by October 1997 the joint venture, through a series of Siemens mergers and acquisitions in UK, evolved into 'Siemens GEC Communication Systems' (SGCS), which later in 1998 merge with Siemens Business Communication Systems (SBCS) to form the largest division of Siemes AG - Siemens Communications. GEC in August 1998 makes a move to acquire the remaining 40% stake in GPT, held by its partner - Siemens.
Read more about this topic: Marconi Communications, History
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