In 1836 the brothers Eugène and Adolphe Schneider took over an abandoned foundry at Le Creusot, which allowed them to participate in the industrial revolution. The company's main focus was on the steel industry, working on train tracks, ships and various other types of heavy machinery.

Eugène's son, Henri Schneider, began to use new production methods that were appearing during the 1860s and the 1870s, making it possible to make cheaper but stronger steel.

Most of the company's income came from the armament sector, but after World War I the company started focusing more on the development of electricity and steel as everyday products. It is also during this time that Merlin Gerin, Telemecanique and Square D started prospering. After World War I Schneider adopted an expansion strategy, going into Germany and East Europe. This strategy was put on hold when World War II started.

After the Liberation of France, Schneider was forced to face a new crisis. The group's new chief, Charles Schneider, progressively abandoned the armament industry in favor of civilian sectors.

Charles Schneider's violent death during August 1960 brought up a succession problem. The company was also suffering in its key sectors. Baron Edouard-Jean Empain took control of the group in 1969. He unsuccessfully tried to diversify the group's traditional main sectors. Eventually, alliances started developing with other companies.

In 1981, Didier Pineau-Valencienne changed the company's structure, completely eliminating the sectors that were in crisis, such as iron, steel and marine construction. After getting the company financially on its feet, thanks to new investors and changes in the company's structure, Schneider started an expansion period at the end of the 1980s. After having absorbed much of Merlin Gerin (1986), Pineau-Valencienne started buying companies such as Télémecanique (1988) and Square D (1991).

In May 1999, under the leadership of its new CEO, Henri Lachmann, Group Schneider changed its name to Schneider Electric, marking its principal objective in the electrical field. Henri Lachmann retired in 2007 to be replaced by Jean-Pascal Tricoire, who is the current Chairman and CEO of the company.

In October 2008, the company's Canadian division, Schneider Electric PMC Victoria, was named one of BC's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by The Vancouver Sun, The Province and the Victoria Times-Colonist.

In June 2011, the Indian arm of company has launched the new retail channels vertical in India. This is the first time that Schneider Electric has planned for a long term retail concentration around globe.

Currently PT Schneider Electric Indonesia has 3 existing plants in Cikarang, Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta, and in Batam Island with total employment 4,000 workers. In 2012, Schneider Electric will build a new plant in Cibitung, West Java. More than 75 percent of the production is for export market, such as ASEAN countries, the US and Europe and will be developed to the Asia Pacific and Middle East market. Indonesia is the third largest operation for the company in Asia after China and India.

Schneider Electric has had its head office in the Trianon site in Rueil-Malmaison, France since 2000. The current headquarters, also located in Rueil Malmaison and known as the Hive, previously housed Schneider subsidiary Télémécanique, while the parent company occupied a site in Boulogne-Billancourt. In September 2010, Schneider Electric has obtained HQE Exploitation, ISO 14001 and NF EN 16001 certification for this head office building.

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