The number of patent applications filed by Siemens continues to rise: in fiscal 2012, the company filed some 4,600 patent applications – seven percent more than a year earlier. Siemens' patent portfolio now comprises 57,300 patents worldwide. The number of invention disclosures submitted also reached a new high of 8,900. Twelve particularly successful researchers and developers whom Siemens honored as Inventors of the Year 2012 in Munich on December 13 played a leading role here. These individuals alone account for 613 invention disclosures and 734 individual patents. "Your brilliant ideas are the basis for highly innovative products that are already driving energy efficiency and productivity in many industries," said Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher at the awards ceremony. "With every invention and every patent, our researchers and developers are paving the way for Siemens' continued growth."
In fiscal 2012, revenue from Siemens' Environmental Portfolio climbed ten percent to €33 billion. The company's ecofriendly products and solutions are now generating faster revenue growth than its other businesses. Green technologies, which have been consistent growth drivers at Siemens since 2008, now account for 42 percent of the company's total business. In fiscal 2012, offerings from Siemens' Environmental Portfolio enabled customers to cut CO2 emissions worldwide by 332 megatons – an amount equal to 40 percent of Germany's total annual CO2 emissions.
Siemens has entered into an agreement to acquire Invensys Rail, the rail automation business of Invensys for approximately €2.2 billion (£1.742 billion). At the same time, the company plans to divest its baggage handling, postal and parcel sorting activities. Both planned transactions are part of the recently launched "Siemens 2014" company program, which amongst others, is aimed at strengthening the company's core activities.
Siemens AG reached a settlement with its former board member Dr. Thomas Ganswindt. The settlement is subject to the approval of the annual shareholders' meeting of Siemens AG on January 23, 2013. The settlement will terminate the pending litigation proceeding between Siemens AG and Dr. Thomas Ganswindt filed with the District Court of Munich. The details on the content of the settlement will be announced with the Notice of Annual Shareholders' Meeting in December 2012.
Building on the major successes already achieved, Siemens is continuing to focus on its global, systematic supply chain management. In 2008, for the first time in the company's history, a Supply Chain Management (SCM) function with company-wide responsibility was established at Managing Board level. Barbara Kux was appointed to head the SCM organization. Under her leadership, SCM has since made a major contribution to the positive development of Siemens' profitability. Today, 55 percent of the company's total procurement volume is bundled. In 2008, the figure was slightly less than 30 percent. Emerging countries now account for 26 percent of Siemens' procurement volume, compared to 20 percent in 2008. Between 2009 and 2012, the accumulated contributions to profit attributable to SCM were in the upper single-digit-billion euro range. In 2012, the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index confirmed Siemens' pioneering role by awarding the company the top ranking for supply chain management.
This year, Siemens researchers won the German Future Prize (Deutscher Zukunftspreis) for the fourth time – more than any other company. This prize is awarded by the German President and is Germany's highest honor for technology and innovation. A research team led by Dr. Torsten Niederdränk in collaboration with the University of Oldenburg developed a so-called binaural hearing system that enables hearing aids in both ears to communicate. This represents an important evolutionary step toward spatial hearing and an improvement in the quality of life of those with hearing loss. German President Joachim Gauck awarded the German Future Prize in Berlin on the evening of November 28, 2012. The €250,000 prize was previously awarded to Siemens employees in 2004, 2005, and 2007 for developments in biochips, piezo technology, and light-emitting diodes.
Siemens has entered into an agreement to acquire Invensys Rail, the rail automation business of Invensys for approximately €2.2 billion (£1.742 billion). At the same time, the company plans to divest its baggage handling, postal and parcel sorting activities. Both planned transactions are part of the recently launched "Siemens 2014" company program, which amongst others, is aimed at strengthening the company's core activities. With revenues of approximately £800 million, Invensys Rail is a leading software based rail signaling and control company. The acquisition will expand Siemens' presence in the growing global rail automation market. "Today's moves are important measures to focus our core activities. We are exiting a non-core business with limited synergy potential while strengthening a resilient and high return business by combining two organizations with similar cultures and attractive synergy potential. The combined business will ensure profitable growth opportunities worldwide for the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector," said Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens Infrastructure & Cities. The transaction is subject to Invensys shareholder approval and regulatory clearances.
During the 14th round of the Russian-German intergovernmental consultations in the presence of Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Ms. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Siemens signed a number of agreements with Russian partners. "Russia is a very important market for Siemens. With a comprehensive portfolio of innovative and ecofriendly technologies, we're a reliable partner for the modernization of the country's infrastructure," said Peter Löscher, President and CEO of Siemens AG.
Siemens is targeting a Total Sectors profit margin of at least 12 percent and, among other goals, productivity gains of €6 billion over the coming two years with its recently launched "Siemens 2014" company program. The first measures have already been introduced and are being rigorously implemented. One of the program's five levers aims at strengthening the company's core activities. As part of this strategy, Siemens is acquiring LMS International for around €680 million in the Industry Sector and will also restructure its water technology business. In the future, the water business will focus on Siemens' core competencies in automation and drives, while activities involved in processing and treating water and wastewater will be sold.