Another view of why Schneider isn't popular.
As you guys know my company makes motion modules. In the past we have made 3 motion modules that fit in the Modicon card slots. We have worked closely with a few plc companies and it is interesting to see what they do and how it affects their relative strength relative to the other PLC companies. I think Modicon appeared to be doing well when AEG had control, but since then a few things have greatly hurt them. When Schneider took control there are battles to see which distributor ( Modicon, Square D or Telemechanique) was going to survive. In many cases the Modicon distributor didn't. A lot of good people at the distributor level were lost. There was also the problem with the name changes. Modicon, AEG/Schneider, Square D, Schneider Automation have all been names for the Schneider company in the US. The local Schneider PLC sales and support guys can not have you on their mind when they don't even know if they have a job or know what they will call themselves when they answer the phone in the morning. In my view Schneider has done a marketing self destruct. This has nothing to do with the quality of the product. It is just hard for any PLC company to compete with a Rockwell when Ken Roach or one of his buddies are constantly in front of Boeing and Weyerhauser when the other PLCs are fighting internal problems.
Stabiltiy is good. Uncertainthy is bad. Customer like to know that the PLC guy to promise their system will work today will be around to keep his word tomorrow.
I know about these problems because the Modicon distributors were also selling our Modicon motion modules. We had to change distributors as Schneider started eliminating the old Modicon distributors. Then we had to train the new Modicon distributors and point them to the projects that were being quoted or in progress. Too many times the ball was dropped and another PLC company stepped in. Fortunately we work with other PLC companies to keep
BTW, at one time Weyerhauser was almost all the sawmills in the Pacific NorthWest were Modicon. Now there are only a few plants left with Modicon PLCs.