- Cluster setup to be eliminated
- Countries to have more market competences and report directly to the Managing Board
- Corporate units to be bundled
The regional cluster setup which is currently in effect at Siemens is to be eliminated. By implementing this move, which will give the individual countries more competences in the future, Siemens intends to intensify its customer access and expand its regional business. "Eliminating the clusters will make Siemens more streamlined and closer to the markets. We're substantially strengthening our regions, whose heads are our customers' most important contacts," stated Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG.
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.
In fiscal 2010, Siemens generated the largest operating profit in its history. Total Sectors profit rose four percent to €7.8 billion. Net income climbed 63 percent to €4.1 billion. Growth picked up speed once again during the year. While declining in the first two quarters, new orders and revenue rebounded sharply in the second half-year. For the full fiscal year, new orders increased by three percent to €81.2 billion, while revenue stabilized at €76 billion. “We completed fiscal 2010 very successfully. We’re coming out of the economic downturn with full momentum. Our growth is gaining speed. Operationally, we achieved record profit twice in a row. We expect to take this positive momentum into the next fiscal year. We have to keep winning, order by order,” said Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher.
Siemens demonstrated operational strength in a difficult economic environment in fiscal 2009. Growth and profit targets were met and, in part, substantially exceeded. The company continued to push its focus on its core businesses, and further expanded its Environmental Portfolio, one of the important growth drivers at Siemens. The procurement initiative and the program to reduce selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses further strengthened Siemens’ competitiveness. “In a very difficult environment, Siemens has performed very well in 2009 compared to its key competitors. Supported by our Energy and Healthcare Sectors, we can look back with pride on our stable revenue development and our robust profit on an operational basis,” said Peter Löscher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG. “With new energy we started in fiscal 2010 and have strengthened our portfolio by the addition of Solel. We see substantial further potential worldwide in the area of environmental technology. To ensure the sustainable viability of businesses that have been particularly affected by the crisis, we are continuing to rigorously implement all necessary measures. The overall market environment will remain challenging in 2010.”