Thales is a major French company operating in the areas of defense, aerospace, security, transportation, and digital identity and security. However, Thales has not always been known by this name. The company has undergone several mergers and acquisitions throughout its long history, changing its name multiple times over the decades. In this article, we will explore the origins and evolution of the Thales company, uncovering its previous identities along the way. Understanding the history of Thales provides insight into how the company became the multinational powerhouse it is today.
The Early Years
The origins of Thales date back to the late 19th century in France. In 1893, French engineer Paul-Louis Weiller established a laboratory focused on electrical engineering and hydraulics in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris. This laboratory marked the beginnings of the Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston (CFTH), which would later evolve into Thales.
CFTH was one of France’s first electrical engineering companies. It focused mainly on electric tramways and power generation equipment in its early years. The company expanded quickly, absorbing several French competitors in the early 1900s. By 1918, CFTH had established manufacturing facilities throughout France and Belgium.
During the 1920s and 1930s, CFTH diversified into new areas like consumer electronics, healthcare equipment, and defense electronics. The company was a pioneer in technologies like X-ray tubes, radio receivers, and electrical components for military use. By the late 1930s, CFTH had over 30,000 employees and was one of France’s industrial giants.
Merger Creating Thomson-CSF
In 1966, CFTH merged with another major French electronics firm, the Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil (CS). This merger created Thomson-CSF, which would be one of Thales’ direct predecessors.
CSF itself was created in 1918 from the merger of French radio pioneers Société Française Radio-Électrique (SFR) and Société Française des Téléphones Ericsson (SFTE). CSF was a leader in radio communications and defense electronics throughout the early-to-mid 20th century. The merger of CFTH and CSF united two powerhouses in French electronics, creating Thomson-CSF.
Thomson-CSF continued to expand France’s domestic electronics sector while also growing internationally. The company pushed into new technology areas like semiconductors, software, missile guidance, radars, and satellite communications. Many consider Thomson-CSF’s growth in the 1960s and 1970s as foundational to France’s national electronics industry.
Expanding into New Markets
In 1982, Thomson-CSF went through a major reorganization. The company’s military and civilian operations were separated into distinct subsidiaries. This restructuring enabled Thomson-CSF to better focus on defense markets and expand further internationally in the 1980s.
Key developments for Thomson-CSF during this period included:
– Major involvement in European missile and military aviation projects like the Tornado, Alpha Jet, Milan, and Hot missile systems
– Expansion of radar, avionics, and naval communications technologies
– Leadership in satellite and space communication projects, including the spursat, Telecom 1, and Syracuse programs
– Growth in the security and transportation sectors after acquiring companies like Morpho and Sextant
By the late 1980s, Thomson-CSF was a dominant player in European defense and security markets. The next major evolution for the company would set the stage for the modern Thales Group.
Merger Creating Thales
In 2000, Thomson-CSF merged with another major French electronics company, Thomson Marconi Sonar, to form Thales Group. Thomson Marconi Sonar was the sonar systems subsidiary of Thales’ consumer electronics counterpart Thomson Multimedia. But while Thomson Multimedia focused on civilian markets, Thomson Marconi Sonar was a leader in naval defense technologies.
The Thomson-CSF/Thomson Marconi Sonar merger created a powerful new entity focused exclusively on defense, aerospace, and security markets. While Thomson-CSF brought expertise in radars, avionics, and land/airborne systems, Thomson Marconi expanded Thales into naval technologies. The new company, Thales Group, immediately became one of the top defense electronics firms in Europe.
Key achievements for the newly formed Thales Group included:
– Consolidating Thomsons-CSF’s leadership in radar, radio, and sensor technologies
– Further growth in avionics, with Thales becoming a top avionics supplier for major aircraft manufacturers
– Expansion of naval technologies after absorbing Thomson Marconi’s underwater acoustics capabilities
– Broad growth across ground vehicle, missile, and unmanned vehicle markets
– Increased international footprint, with over 70% of sales outside France by the mid-2000s
Recent Years and Acquisitions
Since its formation in 2000, Thales has continued to expand through targeted acquisitions and development of new technologies. Several key acquisitions have grown Thales’ footprint in transportation, biometric security, and defense:
– Acquired naval shipbuilder DCN in 2007, bolstering naval offerings
– Purchased biometric security firm Sagem Sécurité in 2008, becoming a leader in fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, and digital ID systems
– Acquired transportation leaders Socata in 2011 and Syntony GNSS in 2019, expanding aviation and satnav capabilities
– Strengthened cybersecurity portfolio with acquisitions of Vormetric in 2016 and Gemalto in 2019
Organically, Thales has also grown key offerings:
– Expanded capabilities in military drones and unmanned technologies
– Developed new avionics, radars, and cockpit display technologies for major aircraft
– Enhanced satellite and space offerings, playing major roles in Galileo, Pleiades, and Syracuse 3 programs
– Strengthened positions in long-range military radar and ground-based air defense
– Focused innovation on connectivity, AI, digital transformation, and data analytics across units
Conclusion
From its 19th century beginnings as an electrical engineering lab, Thales has repeatedly reinvented itself through mergers, acquisitions, and organic development. The result is one of the largest defense, aerospace, and security suppliers in Europe. By understanding Thales’ origins as Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston and its evolution into Thomson-CSF, we gain perspective on Thales’ current leadership across a diverse technology portfolio. The spirit of innovation and adaptation established in Thales’ earliest days continues to drive the company’s success today.