Areva announces reorganization
28 January 2010
France's national nuclear company Areva has announced a reorganization of its nuclear and renewable energy operations into six business groups, instead of the previous four groups.
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Lots of desks are on the move at
Tour Areva in Paris' La Défense today |
Areva's renewables activities have now been separated from its reactor business, while mining is now distinct from front-end fuel cycle work. There are six resultant groups: mining; front-end; reactors and services; back-end; renewable energies; and, transmission and distribution (T&D).
The company is in the process of selling its T&D division to Alstom and Schneider Electric for €4.09 billion ($6.17 billion), and it will remain as a business group in the restructured organization until the transaction is completed. Last week Areva signed an agreement setting out the legal and financial terms and conditions for the sale, which still required approval from antitrust authorities.
The simplified structure should enable Areva to build on what it called a "unique integrated model, which has been a resounding success among customers and often imitated by its competitors."
The restructuring, Areva said, should help to "further align the group's organization with its strategy; better position the group to capitalize on the nuclear renaissance and the development of renewable energies; and improve the group's commercial effectiveness by easing the creation of integrated offers required by the market."
In addition, Areva has created the cross-company Engineering and Projects Organization to cover all nuclear activities, including design, project management, inspection and construction/commissioning. The group is also strengthening its sales and marketing function, to better coordinate its offer for large-scale projects and deploy its business activities worldwide.
Didier Benedetti, a member of Areva's executive board, has been appointed executive officer in charge of process optimization. As such, he will oversee the simplification of the group's operating modes, the effectiveness of procedures and the pooling of resources.
Luc Oursel, also a member of the executive board, has been appointed executive officer in charge of Areva's nuclear operations. As such, he will oversee the execution of major projects, the group's industrial excellence and performance improvement plans. He will also monitor the Engineering and Projects Organization.
In December 2009, Areva announced a new organizational structure for its US operations. The group's US operations have now been restructured into the same six business groups. At that time, the company said that the reorganization was "part of a worldwide effort to consolidate Areva's operations into a single entity" following the withdrawal of Siemens as a stakeholder of the reactor business, Areva NP, and the sale of its T&D division.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News