Hanover Fair 2009: Siemens sets the focus on cost-effective innovations and energy efficient solutions

“It is especially in times of changing economic conditions that industrial companies expect systematic solutions that help cut costs while also securing their investment.

As leading industry suppliers we are deliberately targeting energy-efficient and cost-effective innovations which permit our customers to achieve an early return on investment”, stated Klaus Helmrich, CEO of the Drive Technologies Division at a Siemens trade press conference prior to the Hanover Fair 2009.

Against the backdrop of declining greenfield business, it is efficiency, flexibility and reliability of existing plants which have gained in importance. “Here, economical operations go hand in hand with environmental protection using green solutions”, stated Jens Wegmann, CEO of Siemens Industry Solutions. “In a large number of modernization projects, they help us save more than three quarters of the cost of energy.”

“Energy savings in an industrial environment can make a significant contribution towards increasing competitiveness for our customers. In this way they provide the assurance of a sustainably profitable, environmentally responsible and future-proof investment”, mentioned Klaus Helmrich in connection with increasingly stringent legislation on energy efficiency. Roughly 50 per cent of the overall power consumption in developed countries is used in industry, over two thirds of which is consumed by electric drive systems.

“We estimate that the use of variable-speed drives and highly efficient motors could generate global savings of 120 terra-watt hours”, Helmrich continued. In its industry business, Siemens places the emphasis on short payback periods on customer investment, taking into account the totality of costs across the entire life cycle. Helmrich: “Payback for the majority of our new drive systems is less than 18 months.” Besides drives, it is also control systems that contribute towards energy efficiency; they ensure that power is only used where it is actually needed. While individual energy-efficient products can make a considerable contribution to reducing energy consumption, only a smart combination of these systems from planning through to operation within the framework of Totally Integrated Automation can effectively leverage this potential”, stated Ralf-Michael Franke, CEO of Industrial Automation Systems.

“We are driving forward our world leading automation portfolio with innovations designed to increase productivity and cut costs for our customers.” The new Simatic S7-1200 Micro-Controller is also part and parcel of this strategy: “In its performance class, this new controller range is setting whole new standards. It opens up new dimensions in terms of performance and efficiency for our customers”. With its standardized platform technologies in automation and drives, industry-specific product lines and a globally installed plant base, Industry Solutions has everything in place to further extend its service and modernization business, stated Wegmann.

“We are benefitting from the demand for environmentally friendly technologies. With integrated solutions in the fields of energy efficiency, water management and pollution control, Siemens is the only supplier worldwide which provides its customers with competent and specific support in all three sections of the environment portfolio.” As the driving forces for demand, he lists not only the rising costs of energy but also the shortage of natural resources and ever stricter environmental legislation. Wegmann is confident that even given the current economic climate, this background provides a good opportunity to drive Siemens Industry Solutions forward to become the world’s leading industrial solution provider.

Siemens views the current economic environment as a good opportunity to increase its market share in industrial equipment and solutions. “It is especially in times of changing economic conditions that industrial companies expect systematic solutions that help cut costs while also securing their investment. As leading industry suppliers we are deliberately targeting energy-efficient and cost-effective innovations which permit our customers to achieve an early return on investment”, stated Klaus Helmrich, CEO of the Drive Technologies Division at a Siemens trade press conference prior to the Hanover Fair 2009. Against the backdrop of declining greenfield business, it is efficiency, flexibility and reliability of existing plants which have gained in importance. “Here, economical operations go hand in hand with environmental protection using green solutions”, stated Jens Wegmann, CEO of Siemens Industry Solutions. “In a large number of modernization projects, they help us save more than three quarters of the cost of energy.”

“Energy savings in an industrial environment can make a significant contribution towards increasing competitiveness for our customers. In this way they provide the assurance of a sustainably profitable, environmentally responsible and future-proof investment”, mentioned Klaus Helmrich in connection with increasingly stringent legislation on energy efficiency. Roughly 50 per cent of the overall power consumption in developed countries is used in industry, over two thirds of which is consumed by electric drive systems. “We estimate that the use of variable-speed drives and highly efficient motors could generate global savings of 120 terra-watt hours”, Helmrich continued. In its industry business, Siemens places the emphasis on short payback periods on customer investment, taking into account the totality of costs across the entire life cycle. Helmrich: “Payback for the majority of our new drive systems is less than 18 months.”

Besides drives, it is also control systems that contribute towards energy efficiency; they ensure that power is only used where it is actually needed. While individual energy-efficient products can make a considerable contribution to reducing energy consumption, only a smart combination of these systems from planning through to operation within the framework of Totally Integrated Automation can effectively leverage this potential”, stated Ralf-Michael Franke, CEO of Industrial Automation Systems. “We are driving forward our world leading automation portfolio with innovations designed to increase productivity and cut costs for our customers.” The new Simatic S7-1200 Micro-Controller is also part and parcel of this strategy: “In its performance class, this new controller range is setting whole new standards. It opens up new dimensions in terms of performance and efficiency for our customers”.

With its standardized platform technologies in automation and drives, industry-specific product lines and a globally installed plant base, Industry Solutions has everything in place to further extend its service and modernization business, stated Wegmann. “We are benefitting from the demand for environmentally friendly technologies. With integrated solutions in the fields of energy efficiency, water management and pollution control, Siemens is the only supplier worldwide which provides its customers with competent and specific support in all three sections of the environment portfolio.” As the driving forces for demand, he lists not only the rising costs of energy but also the shortage of natural resources and ever stricter environmental legislation. Wegmann is confident that even given the current economic climate, this background provides a good opportunity to drive Siemens Industry Solutions forward to become the world’s leading industrial solution provider.