The Amberg Electronics Factory showcases Siemens' concept for a "digital enterprise." The factory already employs production methods that will be the standard in many manufacturing facilities in a number of years. Products in the plant control their own assembly by directly communicating their specific requirements and their next production steps via a product code to the machines.
- Amberg Electronics Factory paving the way to Industrie 4.0
- Virtual and real worlds merge in this "digital factory"
On February 23, 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Siemens' Electronics Factory in Amberg, Bavaria, and was briefed on the current status of production automation as it moves toward Industrie 4.0. Key elements of the coming industrial world are already being used at the Amberg factory: Products communicate with machines and all processes are optimized and controlled via IT.
- Management informs employee representatives about impact of new organizational structure
- As part of the streamlining of administrative and overhead functions announced in May 2014, about 7,800 jobs to be cut worldwide – including 3,300 in Germany
- Savings of about €1 billion to be invested in innovation, productivity and growth initiatives
- Workforce size worldwide to remain virtually stable
As previously announced, Siemens has informed the relevant employee representatives about the personnel adjustments planned in connection with the company's new organizational structure. In a drive to streamline administrative and overhead functions, about 7,800 jobs are to be cut worldwide – including some 3,300 in Germany. "Our Vision 2020 concept will enable us to get our company back on a sustainable growth path and close the profitability gap to our competitors. Our strategic reorientation has enabled us to considerably streamline our organization and remove entire intermediate levels. These steps will bring our businesses closer to our customers and make us significantly faster. As a result, certain tasks and functions will be completely eliminated. We're going to tackle this challenge together and implement the resulting measures responsibly. This completes the restructuring of our company in line with the new organizational setup of October 1, 2014," said Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG.
The world is today commemorating and honoring the victims of National Socialism. Seventy years ago, on January 27, 1945, the Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps were liberated by Soviet troops. From 1943 to 1945, Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG operated a machine tool production facility in the Bobrek camp near Auschwitz. About 200 of the camp's prisoners worked at the facility. Siemens is known to have employed a total of at least 80,000 forced laborers in the war years of 1940 to 1945. At least 5,000 of these laborers were prisoners from concentration camps – primarily from the Ravensbrück, Auschwitz-Bobrek, Flossenbürg, Buchenwald and Gross-Rosen camps.
- Shareholders discuss with experts at foyer exhibits
- Roadshow on digitalization@Siemens
- Dream Chaser© orbital spacecraft is this year's star attraction
- Victims of National Socialism commemorated
The Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Siemens AG brought together thousands of shareholders and employees again in 2015. Large numbers of shareholders took advantage of the opportunity to gather detailed information and talk with experts at the exhibits in the foyer of Munich's Olympiahalle. The company mission and the knowhow on display in the foyer highlighted a wide range of topics and perspectives.
Siemens held its Annual Shareholders' Meeting at the Olympia Hall in Munich on January 27, 2015.
- Acts of Managing and Supervisory Boards ratified with large majorities
- Dividend proposal of €3.30 per share confirmed
- Shareholders approve compensation system for the Managing Board
At the Annual Shareholders' Meeting in Munich, shareholders of Siemens AG elected Nathalie von Siemens and Norbert Reithofer to the Supervisory Board and ratified the acts of the members of the Managing and Supervisory Boards for fiscal 2014. As recommended by the Managing and Supervisory Boards, the Annual Shareholders' Meeting approved a dividend of €3.30 per share for fiscal 2014. It also approved the new compensation system for the Managing Board.
We released our first quarter results for fiscal 2015 on January 27, 2015. The press conference was broadcast live.
- First-quarter revenue up 5% to €17.415 billion; on a comparable basis, excluding currency translation and portfolio effects, revenue up 3%
- Orders of €18.013 billion for a book-to-bill ratio of 1.03; 11% decline compared to Q1 FY 2014, which included a €1.6 billion order in Saudi Arabia
- Industrial Business profit of €1.819 billion 4% lower due mainly to Power and Gas as expected; Industrial Business profit margin within the expected range
- Income from continuing operations of €1.106 billion burdened outside the Industrial Business; furthermore negative swing within discontinued operations affects Net income which was €1.095 billion, with basic earnings per share (EPS) of €1.30
- Strong contribution to Free cash flow from Industrial Business
- During the first quarter, Siemens classified the hearing aid business as discontinued operations; prior-period results are presented on a comparable basis
- Portfolio milestones include closing the acquisition of the Rolls-Royce Energy aero-derivative gas turbine and compressor business in the first quarter; followed, in January 2015, by closing the divestment of the hearing aid business (expected pretax gain: approximately €1.6 billion), closing the divestment of Siemens' stake in BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH) (expected pretax gain: approximately €1.4 billion), and completing the contribution of the metals technologies business into a joint venture; furthermore, we expect a profit impact due to a funding commitment of €0.3 billion related to Unify Holdings B.V. in the second quarter
"The performance of most of our businesses was within our expectations. While some Divisions provided excellent performance, Healthcare needs to step up its efforts to quickly resume to its outstanding performance and Power and Gas will need a more comprehensive concept to return to historical margins longer turn."
- Healthcare management reorganized with Bernd Montag as CEO
- Head of Power and Gas Division leaves Siemens
Janina Kugel, previously Corporate Vice President Human Resources and Siemens' Chief Diversity Officer, was appointed to the Managing Board by the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG at its meeting today. Kugel will succeed Siegfried Russwurm as head of Human Resources and will also serve as the new Labor Director of Siemens AG. Siegfried Russwurm will be the Board-level partner for the separately managed Healthcare business, while retaining his regional responsibilities for the CIS and Middle East as well as his position as Chief Technology Officer. Hermann Requardt is stepping down from the Managing Board and his position as Healthcare CEO by mutual consent to enable a generation change at the launch of the new Healthcare company. Requardt will remain available in an advisory capacity. All changes will take effect on February 1, 2015.