 |
||
|
|
||
| |||||||||||
We've got the power American Power Conversion (APC) makes products that prevent your computer from frying because of power overload. Marketing its products primarily through computer distributors and catalogs, APC is the world's leading manufacturer of uninterruptible power supplies, surge protectors, and related products for computers. This equipment keeps thousands of office systems and individual PCs from being damaged by fluctuations in their power supply. The company was founded in 1981 with 13 employees to manufacture solar-powered products. Quickly, however, the company turned toward making the lead back-up batteries that were used in PCs, and has devoted itself to computer power equipment since. On a hot streak APC has posted record sales and garnered industry awards year after year. American Power Conversion's products were the only ones certified for use with Microsoft's Windows 95, and the increased use of computers in countries with unreliable power supplies has helped it to expand even further. In 1998, the company was the first company solely dedicated to power protection solutions to hit $1 billion in revenue. With an estimated 10 million customers and 5,000 employees generating $6.6 billion in revenue, the company is the worldwide leader in its business. Over the last decade, APC's sales and earnings has been growing at an average of 40 percent a year, and they show no signs of stopping. This success placed APC on S&P's coveted 500 Index, in the S&P 500's Electrical Equipment industry group, in June 2000. Maintaining the Inside Track APC has announced two acquisitions since the turn of the century that are sure to keep the company in its leading position. First, in February 2000, APC prepared to buy energyOn.com, an independent information and access resource for residential and commercial consumers in U.S. deregulated energy markets. The purchase will allow APC's power-related service offering to include the energy provider selection process. By April 2000, APC had also acquired Advance International Group subsidiary, Advance Power, a technological leader of DC-based power solutions used in telecommunications and Internet applications. Until the acquisition, APC had only addressed AC products, standard in IT equipment. Internet infrastructures combine IT equipment with DC-powered telecommunications solutions, calling for both AC- and DC-based protection. Now APC can offer that protection to service providers and Internet applications.
APC's web site, located at www.apcc.com provides job descriptions of open positions. Applicants can submit their resumes via regular mail, fax or e-mail. Contact information for each position is available at the company's web site. A young technology company, APC stresses that it is looking for highly motivated leaders who are ready to achieve, whether they are software engineers with technology backgrounds or marketing executives with business degrees. The company recruits on college campuses, One insider reports a "fairly relaxed" daylong interview process.
Young, casual culture "American Power Conversion is an energetic and fast-paced company that takes on new directions constantly," one employee says. Employees refer to the "youthful and competitive" atmosphere as a "cowboy culture" - often "chaotic" but "never dull." Reports one APC employee in Rhode Island: "The work environment is great, a very young atmosphere. The corporate culture is sort of entrepreneurial-based, meaning that everyone is encouraged to find better ways of doing things." As part of this loose culture, "the dress code is casual to business casual." However, one contact notes that while "the culture at the company is fairly casual, as we grow, it gets more rigid." Room to grow A "team-based," "goal-driven" company, American Power Conversion, employees say, offers "impressive" advancement opportunities for "aggressive," "entrepreneurial" people "who can push themselves without the burden of highly-structured management." Reports one insider: "Since it is a young company, there is a lot of room to grow if one desires." Another appreciates that because APC is a global company, there are "great international opportunities." Sums up one enthused contact: "The company is strong financially, we are the world leader in what we do, and we have an aggressive management team." Quarterly bonuses APC insiders report being pleased with their compensation. "Pay is above industry average, and APC has a great benefit package," reports one insider. Says another: "I've found that APC is on the high side in terms of pay and perks." Benefits include "full medical coverage for you and your spouse, 401(k), quarterly bonuses, and an employee stock purchase plan." One district sales manager reports receiving a "car and housing allowance" and having traveled to the Caribbean and Las Vegas for the company. High satisfaction Virtually the only complaint insiders at APC register concerns the APC headquarters in Rhode Island, which can get "cold and snowy" and "isn't the most fun place." On the whole, contacts at American Power Conversion report a remarkable level of satisfaction. One APC insider speaks for his co-workers when he reports that "APC is a great company to work for."
Human Resources 132 Fairgrounds Road1 West Kingston RI 02892
Electrical surge protection products;Power conditioning products;Uninterruptible power supplies
General Signal;Invensys;Powerware More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
