CNE

What CNE does

CNE is a French SARL (private limited company) founded in 1994 and headquartered in Reims, operating as a regional distributor of electrical equipment with a stated specialization in lighting. The company serves two complementary customer segments: professional electricians and contractors purchasing on trade terms, and individual consumers buying through retail counters. Its core offering spans more than 5,000 product references sourced from 45+ brand partners — including Schneider Electric, Hager, Sylvania, and Ledvance — across categories such as lighting, home automation, heating, ventilation, security, intercom, distribution, protection, wiring devices, and cables & connections. Underlying operations are physical and logistics-driven: 3,000m² of warehousing in Reims plus 400m² at the Metz branch support same-day order preparation and shipping, and the technical-advisory model relies on 20+ staff rather than any digital platform, app, or API.

The company operates two specialist sub-brands that extend its lighting franchise: SCENEO, which provides custom lighting design and showroom support, and OENOLED, a niche wine-cellar LED lighting range. CNE is a member of the ALGOREL distribution network, providing collective purchasing leverage and access to a broader product mix. Customer acquisition is primarily in-store and through established trade-account relationships, with social media (Facebook) used for promotional purposes rather than e-commerce transactions. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales at standard trade and retail margins, with no disclosed subscription, recurring-service, or platform-revenue component. Geographic reach is concentrated in the Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine regions of northeastern France, anchored by the Reims headquarters and the Metz branch opened in May 2021.

Name

CNE

Legal name

CNE – Distributeur de matériel électrique

Website

https://cne.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CNE is a French regional distributor of electrical equipment specializing in lighting, serving professional electricians and individual consumers from physical retail and warehouse locations in Reims and Metz with 5,000+ product references from 45+ brand partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Reims

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: CNE generates revenue through the sale of electrical equipment products including lighting, heating, home automation, security systems, and related components. Products are sold through their physical retail locations with same-day order preparation and shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CNE is a French regional distributor of electrical equipment headquartered in Reims, operating a catalog of more than 5,000 references with lighting as its core specialty. The company supplies professional installers (electricians, contractors) and individual consumers through two physical branches and an online storefront, supported by 20+ employees and partnerships with manufacturers within the ALGOREL purchasing network. Sub-brands SCENEO and OENOLED provide custom lighting solutions and LED wine-cellar lighting as differentiated offerings.

Product overview

CNE is a distributor of electrical equipment specializing in lighting, operating as a single unified product and service offering organized around product categories. The core portfolio encompasses lighting, home automation (domotique), heating, ventilation, security, intercom, distribution, protection, wiring devices, and cable/connection solutions. CNE also distributes two branded sub-lines: SCENEO (customized decorative, technical, and architectural lighting) and OENOLED (LED lighting for wine cellars). Products are sourced from over 45 partner brands including Schneider Electric, Hager, Delta Dore, Sylvania, Ledvance, Osram, and many others. The company operates as a physical distributor with over 5,000 product references in stock and same-day shipping capability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SCENEO: Partnership brand for custom lighting solutions - decorative, technical and architectural lighting
• OENOLED

Products and services

• SCENEO — Custom Lighting Solutions A CNE sub-brand offering custom lighting assemblies and specification support, sold through the Reims and Metz branches and online. Targeted at installers and consumers needing tailored lighting configurations rather than off-the-shelf fixtures.
• OENOLED — Wine Cellar LED Lighting A CNE sub-brand providing specialized LED lighting systems engineered for wine cellars and wine storage spaces, addressing humidity, heat, and UV considerations specific to wine preservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day order preparation and shipping
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ALGORELcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCNE is a member of the ALGOREL network, a distribution network for electrical equipment. This membership provides access to a broader network and shared resources within the electrical distribution sector.
• SCENEOcoreTechnology or IntegrationSCENEO is a partner offering custom lighting solutions for decorative, technical, and architectural lighting projects. CNE distributes SCENEO products and hosts their showroom.
• SYLVANIAcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading lighting brand partner offering lamps and lighting solutions. Joint promotional campaigns and catalogue distributions.
• SCHNEIDER ELECTRICcoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor electrical equipment manufacturer partner for protection, distribution, and automation solutions.
• HAGERcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for appareillage and electrical installation equipment. Joint promotional campaigns with special offers.
• LEDVANCEcoreTechnology or IntegrationLED lighting brand partner offering energy-efficient lighting products including LEDVANCE UGR19 products.
• DELTA DOREcoreTechnology or IntegrationHome automation and connected building solutions partner, leader in connected home and building solutions for comfort and security.
• ATLANTICcoreTechnology or IntegrationHeating solutions partner offering convectors, radiant heaters, and inertia radiators.
• APPLIMOcoreTechnology or IntegrationHeating solutions partner specializing in electric heating products.
• YOKIScoreTechnology or IntegrationRadio-based home automation solutions partner for residential applications.
• INDIGO LIGHTINGcoreTechnology or IntegrationLighting solutions partner offering spots, downlights, and interior lighting fixtures.
• NECLIGHTcoreTechnology or IntegrationLighting brand partner specializing in LED spots and downlights.
• SOMFYcoreTechnology or IntegrationHome automation partner for motorized solutions and connected devices.
• ACOVAcoreTechnology or IntegrationHeating solutions partner specializing in design radiators and heated towel rails.
• AIPHONEcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntercom and access control partner for residential and commercial entry systems.
• CAMEcoreTechnology or IntegrationAutomation and access control partner for gates, barriers, and parking solutions.
• OSRAMcoreTechnology or IntegrationLighting solutions partner offering lamps and LED products.
• GEWISScoreTechnology or IntegrationElectrical equipment partner for distribution and conduit solutions.
• HONEYWELLcoreTechnology or IntegrationBuilding automation and control partner for heating and security solutions.
• EATONcoreTechnology or IntegrationPower management and electrical equipment partner for protection solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Schneider Electric: Schneider Electric is a core brand partner of CNE, supplying protection, distribution, and automation products that CNE distributes in the Grand Est region. As a major upstream manufacturer, it is the primary supplier feeding CNE's value-added distribution channel.
• Hager: Hager is a major European manufacturer of wiring devices, distribution boards, and building automation that CNE distributes. As a key supplier partner, Hager represents both an upstream relationship and a partial channel alternative for end customers.

Emerging players

• Manomano: Manomano is a France-founded online marketplace specializing in DIY, home improvement, and gardening, including a meaningful electrical and lighting category. It represents the emerging digital channel that may increasingly compete with traditional brick-and-mortar specialist distributors like CNE.

Broad incumbents

• Bricoman: Bricoman is a French pro-and-DIY construction materials retailer with broad electrical, lighting, and tool categories. It overlaps with CNE on electrical supply for trade customers but competes across a much wider product mix and with a larger footprint.
• Leroy Merlin: Leroy Merlin is France's largest home improvement retailer with an extensive lighting and electrical category serving both DIY consumers and trade professionals. It competes broadly with CNE for electrical product demand in the Grand Est region, though with a much wider non-electrical assortment.

Direct peers

• CEF: CEF (Compagnie d'Éclairage et de Fournitures) is a French national chain of electrical wholesalers focused on professional installers, with a multi-branch store model selling lighting, wiring devices, and home automation. It directly competes with CNE for the same professional electrician customer base in France.
• Rexel: Rexel is the largest French-headquartered electrical equipment distributor in the world, serving professional installers with a multi-thousand-SKU catalog covering lighting, home automation, and energy management. It is the most direct national competitor to CNE's specialist distribution model.
• YESSS Electrique: YESSS Electrique is a French network of independent electrical distributors serving professional installers across multiple regions with multi-brand catalogs of lighting and electrical equipment. It is a directly comparable multi-branch specialist competing in overlapping territories with CNE.
• Sonepar: Sonepar is a Paris-headquartered, family-owned global electrical distributor with deep French roots, focused exclusively on B2B sales of electrical products, lighting, and automation to professional customers. It is a directly comparable specialist pro-distributor operating in the same French electrical distribution market as CNE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cne-reims-metz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CNE