Clipsal

History

Clipsal was established by Alfred Gerard in Adelaide, Australia in 1920, selling a range of adjustable sheet metal fittings which joined the various imported conduits of differing diameters found in Australia at the time. This fitting was the product that gave the Clipsal company its name ("clips all" - Clipsal). Alfred’s son Geoff eventually took over the company, and it soon spearheaded several manufacturing breakthroughs, including the invention of the first all-Australian switch in 1930. The company also did early R&D on thermoplastics in the 1950s.

Clipsal Integrated Systems, a division of Clipsal, was responsible for the creation of the C-Bus product range and accompanying protocol used in home automation.

Clipsal entered into a collaboration agreement with The Smart Company in 1995 and then a Heads of Agreement in 1996. These agreements led to the development of the Clipsal Home Minder that Clipsal sold until 2004.

In 2004 Clipsal Australia became majority-owned by Schneider Electric.

From 2004 to 2011 Clipsal Integrated Systems, Clipsal Technologies Australia and Clipsal Australia were in litigation with The Smart Company Pty Ltd about the Clipsal Home Minder and other Smart products.

The litigation was for apparent unpaid royalties to The Smart Company pursuant to the Heads of Agreement.

The Smart Company went into liquidation on 28 May 2010. Liquidators of The Smart Company went to the Supreme Court to gain back control of the Clipsal case because prior to the liquidation the director Dorothea Tomazos had transferred the benefit of the case to herself for $1. In August 2010 Liquidators gained back control of the Clipsal case to continue the action against Clipsal and effectively Schneider Electric for up to $4 billion Australian dollars. Enterprise Global Resources, controlled by Dorothea Tomazos, then held up the case again by intervening as the shareholder of The Smart Company to take control of the Federal Court action. In February 2011 Enterprise Global Resources was refused permission to maintain the proceedings.

The case was dismissed on 29 April 2011 because The Smart Company failed to comply with orders from November 2009 to prepare for the 12 week trial that was going to start on 31 May 2010 and the liquidators were unable to progress during late 2010 and early 2011 because they did not have access to The Smart Company's documents relating to the action.

The liquidators filed a Notice of Appeal against the dismissal on 20 May 2011. In June 2011 the Yamaha Pitman founders were behind the $3m Deed Of Company Arrangement to resurrect the case against Clipsal Australia. The liquidators were also in talks with a litigation funder a third party about the purchase of the Clipsal case. The liquidators discontinued the Appeal on 8 July 2011 and were ordered to pay costs.

Alfred Gerard

Alfred Edward Gerard (11 August 1877 – 13 October 1950) was born in Aberdeen, South Australia, the son of William Gerard and Emily nee Russell.

In 1907, with the assistance of his father-in-law, he opened an electrical store "Gerard and Goodman" at 204 Rundle Street East. In 1909 he founded the South Australian Electrical Importers & Suppliers Association (later Electrical Wholesalers Association). He began making electrical fittings in 1920 and founded Gerard Industries in 1931.

He was a founding member of the United Aborigines Mission in 1929 and in 1945 financed the Gerard Aboriginal Community with 5,800 acres at Winkie on the River Murray.

He was for 40 years a member of and lay preacher at Prospect Methodist Church and author of Ears of Corn published in 1947.

He married Elsie Maria Goodman on 26 March 1902. They had four sons: (Alfred) Hubert, (William) Geoffrey, Kenneth Edward and Jack Hamilton and lived at 9 Highbury Street, Prospect, South Australia.

Geoffrey Gerard

William Geoffrey Gerard (16 June 1907) was born in Salisbury, South Australia and educated at Adelaide Technical High School.

He was managing director of Gerard Industries Pty Ltd. 1930–1976 and chairman of directors from 1950. He was president of the Liberal and Country League 1961–1964. He was president of the South Australian Chamber of Manufacturers 1953 –1954 and the Chambers of Manufacturers of Australia in 1955.

He married Elsie Lesetta Lowe on 10 November 1932. They had two children, Robert Geoffrey and Margaret Lesetta.

Robert Gerard

Robert Geoffrey Gerard (born 3 January 1945) oversaw the rapid expansion of the family company from 1976, and sale of many of its assets (including Clipsal to the Schneider Electric group) in part to meet its obligations to the Australian Tax Office and the public listing of Gerard Lighting in 2010.

Simon Gerard

Son of Robert Gerard, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Gerard Lighting in 2010.