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Emerson Building Trust, Investing in Technology

Oct. 24, 2011
Emerson Invests in Its People Around the Globe. Help Build That Trust

By Walt Boyes, Editor in Chief

Steve Sonnenberg, business leader for Emerson Process Management, put forward strong relationships built on trust, together with industry-leading technology, as key to the continued mutual success of the company and its customers.

"We want to earn your trust and become a 'listening organization,'" Sonnenberg said to a record crowd of some 2,850 attendees at the 2011 Emerson Global Users Exchange this week in Nashville. And to help build that trust, Emerson is investing in its people around the globe. "Double-digit growth in all world regions has allowed us to make those investments everywhere."

"I am very optimistic about the economy." Emerson's Steve Sonnenberg is bullish on the company's global outlook. The company closed fiscal 2011 with $7.3 billion in orders, with all world regions contributing double-digit growth.Indeed, the more than 4,000 people hired by Emerson Process Management in the past year include some 1,800 in Asia Pacific, 200 in the Middle East and Africa, 350 in Latin America and more than 1,000 in North America. "We weren't even able to fill all the open positions," Sonnenberg said, "because we refuse to let you down by relaxing our standards. There just aren't enough technically trained people to fill all the jobs in this industry. But we will never compromise on talent. We believe that our talent is a key differentiator."

The company also has invested in acquisitions and in new technologies, Sonnenberg said. Recent acquisitions include Canadian gas detection and safety system supplier Net Safety. New products include down-hole, multiphase flowmeters and wireless annular monitoring systems from Roxar and the extension of Emerson's CHARMs input/output platform to provide single-channel intrinsic safety.

Sonnenberg also discussed the company's renewed focus and commitment to helping its customers save energy and reduce emissions through efforts big and small—from advanced control strategies to the new Rosemount 708 wireless monitor for detecting steam trap leakage.

"We are not shy about investing in good times and bad," Sonnenberg said. "We have made lots of investments in technology to serve you."