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 renamed itself Marconi Plc.