Compagnie Générale des Eaux

Compagnie Générale des Eaux (CGE) was a French water-supply company created by imperial decree under Napoleon III on 14 December 1853. Its original business was the construction and operation of public water systems under municipal concessions. The company established an early and durable presence in Lyon, where it obtained a public-water concession in 1854 and continued serving the city for more than a century. In 1861, it secured a 50-year concession from the City of Paris, making the capital one of the central reference markets in its historical development. CGE subsequently expanded its water activities beyond France, supplying Venice from 1880, Istanbul from 1882 and Porto from 1883. For much of its first century, CGE was principally associated with delegated water services and the management of public infrastructure. Its strategic direction changed substantially after Guy Dejouany became chief executive in 1976. From 1980 onward, the company pursued a broad diversification program, acquiring or developing activities in waste management, energy services, transport, industrial vehicles, construction, property and communications. This expansion transformed CGE from a specialized water operator into a diversified infrastructure and services group. Among the important additions to the group was Compagnie générale d'entreprises automobiles, or CGEA, which operated in the industrial-vehicle and transport-services field. CGEA was later reorganized into transport and environmental-services branches. The transport business became Connex in 1999 and ultimately formed part of Veolia Transport, while the environmental-services business became associated with Onyx Environnement and later Veolia Environmental Services. CGE also acquired Compagnie générale de chauffe and the Montenay group. These energy-service activities were subsequently consolidated and renamed Dalkia in 1998. CGE also moved into communications and media. In 1983, it helped establish Canal+, France's first pay-television channel. During the 1990s, it expanded into telecommunications and media, including the creation of Neuf Cegetel in 1996 to address the impending liberalization of the French telecommunications market. The company also pursued media-related acquisitions and investments, including an interest in Babelsberg Studio. These moves reflected a strategy of using the scale and cash generation of infrastructure businesses to build a wider services and communications portfolio. On 27 March 1998, after agreeing to acquire Havas in full, CGE announced that it would change its name to Vivendi. The renaming marked the end of Compagnie Générale des Eaux as the group's corporate identity, although its water, environmental and energy operations continued through successor structures. In 1999, Vivendi organized these environmental divisions into Vivendi Environnement, bringing together the former CGE water business, CGEA Transport, Onyx Environnement and Dalkia. Vivendi Environnement was subsequently introduced to public investors and was renamed Veolia Environnement in 2003. The former CGE group also became a foundation for Vivendi's later media and telecommunications expansion. In 2000, Vivendi combined with Groupe Canal+ and Seagram Company to form Vivendi Universal. The water and environmental operations were separated from the media-centered group, while other CGE-era assets in construction and property were sold. Consequently, CGE is best understood as the historical predecessor of both Vivendi's diversified corporate group and the Veolia environmental-services businesses. The original brand is defunct as a corporate name, but its legacy remains visible in major French and international water, waste, energy and transport service operations.

Compagnie Générale des Eaux was established by an imperial decree of Napoleon III on 14 December 1853. It was created to develop and operate public water-supply infrastructure, generally through long-term concessions with municipalities. In 1854, the company received a concession to supply Lyon. That relationship lasted for more than a century and provided an important institutional and operational base for the business. In 1861, CGE obtained a 50-year concession from Paris. The company then developed international water operations, supplying Venice from 1880, Istanbul from 1882 and Porto from 1883. The company remained principally a water utility until the late twentieth century, when its scope broadened considerably. Guy Dejouany became chief executive in 1976 and directed a program of acquisitions and diversification beginning in 1980. CGE expanded into waste management, energy, transport, industrial vehicles, construction and property. It acquired Compagnie générale d'entreprises automobiles, whose businesses were subsequently divided between transport and environmental services. The transport branch later operated as Connex, while the environmental branch became associated with Onyx Environnement and ultimately with Veolia's environmental-services activities. CGE also acquired Compagnie générale de chauffe and the Montenay group. Their energy-services activities were later combined under the Dalkia name. This gave the group a wider role in heating, energy management and related infrastructure services, complementing its water and waste operations. A further transformation occurred in communications and media. In 1983, CGE helped found Canal+, France's first pay-television channel. In the 1990s, the company began investing more heavily in telecommunications and mass media. In 1996, it created Neuf Cegetel in anticipation of the deregulation of the French telecommunications market. Under Jean-Marie Messier, who succeeded Dejouany as chief executive on 27 June 1996, the group pursued a more ambitious media strategy and made related investments, including in Babelsberg Studio. On 27 March 1998, after agreeing to acquire Havas, CGE announced that it would change its name to Vivendi. The name change ended the use of Compagnie Générale des Eaux as the group's corporate identity. The water and environmental businesses were progressively separated from the media and telecommunications operations. In 1999, Vivendi created Vivendi Environnement to bring together the former CGE water division, CGEA Transport, Onyx Environnement and Dalkia. CGEA Transport was renamed Connex, and the water division became Vivendi Water. Vivendi Environnement was floated in Paris in 2000 and in New York in 2001; Vivendi gradually reduced its ownership. The company adopted the Veolia Environnement name in 2003. The former CGE corporate group also supplied the infrastructure and organizational platform for Vivendi's later merger with Groupe Canal+ and Seagram in 2000. While Vivendi Universal developed into a media and entertainment group, the environmental and utility businesses followed a separate corporate path. The original CGE name therefore disappeared as a current corporate brand, but its municipal water concessions, environmental operations and energy-service businesses became part of the histories of Veolia, Dalkia and related successor enterprises.

• 1999

  Vivendi Environnement formed

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  The former water, waste, transport and energy businesses were consolidated into Vivendi Environnement.

• 1998

  CGE becomes Vivendi

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  The company announced its corporate name change to Vivendi on 27 March 1998.

• 1996

  Neuf Cegetel created

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE created Neuf Cegetel to pursue opportunities created by the liberalization of France's telecommunications market.

• 1983

  Canal+ founded with CGE participation

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE helped establish Canal+, France's first pay-television channel.

• 1980

  Diversification beyond water

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE began expanding into waste management, energy, transport, construction and property through acquisitions and new activities.

• 1976

  Guy Dejouany becomes chief executive

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  Guy Dejouany's appointment preceded the company's major diversification beyond water services.

• 1883

  Expansion to Porto

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  The company began supplying water to Porto.

• 1882

  Expansion to Istanbul

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE added Istanbul to its international water-supply operations.

• 1880

  Expansion to Venice

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE began supplying water to Venice.

• 1861

  Paris water concession

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  The company obtained a 50-year concession with the City of Paris.

• 1854

  Lyon water concession

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  CGE obtained a concession to supply public water to Lyon, beginning a relationship that lasted for more than a century.

• 1853

  Company established by imperial decree

  [1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  Compagnie Générale des Eaux was created on 14 December 1853 under an imperial decree issued during the reign of Napoleon III.

Historically positioned as a long-term operator of public-utility infrastructure, CGE used water concessions as the base for expansion into adjacent environmental, energy, transport, communications and media services.

• Water utility · 1853

  Municipal water supply

  CGE's original and defining business was the development and operation of public water-supply systems. It worked through municipal concessions, including major historical concessions in Lyon and Paris, and later supplied cities outside France. The service involved the operation of infrastructure needed to deliver treated water to urban populations.

• Environmental services · 1980

  Waste and environmental services

  Beginning in the 1980s, CGE expanded into waste management and related environmental services. These activities were associated with Onyx Environnement and were later incorporated into the environmental-services businesses that became part of Veolia.

• Energy and heating services · 1980

  Energy services

  Through Compagnie générale de chauffe and the Montenay group, CGE developed energy and heating services alongside its water and waste operations. These activities were later consolidated under the Dalkia name.

• Transport infrastructure and services · 1980

  Transport services

  CGE's acquisition of Compagnie générale d'entreprises automobiles brought industrial-vehicle and transport activities into the group. The transport branch was later reorganized as Connex and subsequently became associated with Veolia Transport.

• Telecommunications and media · 1983

  Telecommunications and media ventures

  During the 1980s and 1990s, CGE developed interests beyond utilities, including participation in Canal+ and the creation of Neuf Cegetel. These activities helped prepare the group for its later transformation into Vivendi and its greater emphasis on media, entertainment and communications.

• 1999

  Separate environmental and utility activities into Vivendi EnvironnementStrategy

  Background

  The renamed Vivendi group was increasingly focused on media and communications, while its water, waste, transport and energy operations formed a distinct infrastructure platform.

  Action taken

  Vivendi consolidated the relevant divisions into Vivendi Environnement, including the former CGE water division, CGEA Transport, Onyx Environnement and Dalkia.

  Aftermath

  Vivendi Environnement was later partially divested and renamed Veolia Environnement in 2003.

  Source

• 1998

  Change the corporate name to VivendiStrategy

  Background

  CGE had expanded substantially beyond water and had agreed to acquire Havas, making its traditional utility identity less representative of the group.

  Action taken

  On 27 March 1998, the company announced that it would adopt the Vivendi name.

  Aftermath

  Compagnie Générale des Eaux ceased to be the group's corporate name, while its water and environmental activities continued through successor organizations.

  Source

• 1996

  Create Neuf Cegetel for telecommunications liberalizationStrategy

  Background

  France was preparing to deregulate its telecommunications market, creating an opportunity for new competitors and network operators.

  Action taken

  CGE created Neuf Cegetel to pursue telecommunications opportunities.

  Aftermath

  The move accelerated the group's shift toward telecommunications and media before the corporate name change to Vivendi.

  Source

• 1983

  Participate in the creation of Canal+Product launch

  Background

  CGE was expanding into communications and sought positions in new French media businesses.

  Action taken

  The company helped establish Canal+, France's first pay-television channel.

  Aftermath

  Canal+ later became a central component of the broader Vivendi media strategy.

  Source

• 1980

  Diversify from water into infrastructure servicesStrategy

  Background

  Under Guy Dejouany, CGE sought to broaden its business beyond municipal water concessions and participate in adjacent infrastructure markets.

  Action taken

  The group acquired or developed activities in waste management, energy, transport, construction and property.

  Aftermath

  The diversification created the business base from which later environmental, energy and transport successor businesses emerged.

  Source

• 2003

  Vivendi Environnement later renamed Veolia Environnement[1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The environmental-services successor to CGE's utility activities adopted the Veolia Environnement name.

• 1999

  Environmental divisions consolidated under Vivendi Environnement[1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The group's water, transport, waste and energy activities were reorganized into Vivendi Environnement, separating the environmental-services platform from the increasingly media-focused parent.

• 1998

  Compagnie Générale des Eaux announces corporate name change to Vivendi[1]Vivendien.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Following its expansion into media and telecommunications and its agreement to acquire Havas, the company announced that it would adopt the Vivendi name.

1. 1Vivendien.wikipedia.org