Sadlowski on Siemens Energy and Automation

More from the exiderdome kickoff press conference: Dennis Sadlowski, CEO since 2007 of Siemens Energy and Automation, provided a quick rundown on the way the Industry Sector is implemented in the US and Mexico. “We have 10,000 employees in the US and an additional 2000 in Mexico. We’re based in Alpharetta, Georgia, with 160 sales and support locations in North America. We have eight R&D facilities, and we go to market with more than 3000 distributors. We provide solutions,” he said, “in industrial automation, drive technologies, industrial solutions, building automation and mobility.” “We understand customer needs,” Sadlowski said. “We use our channels and our customers to help us ‘Think Customer.’ That’s our culture. We are in the business of making our customers more productive and more competitive.” Sadlowski said that this produces a “self sustaining business model—their success becomes our success.” He said that through the concepts of Totally Integrated Automation and Totally Integrated Power, Siemens has established vertical industry centers of competence in automobile/aerospace, oil and gas, food and beverage and chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. He talked about success stories like Cornhusker Ethanol in Lexington, Neb., which is typical, he said, of ethanol plants in the US. “Using fieldbus and integrated asset management,” he said, “we have been successful in automating 60% to 70% of all ethanol plants in the US.” “We have one of the largest fieldbus DCS implementations in the United States at a major chemical company,” he said. While many auto manufacturers are scaling back, he noted, Siemens production technology has enabled the construction of a major new production line at BMW in Spartanburg SC. Other success stories Sadlowski discussed included Sencorp in Hyannis, Mass., and the KUKA flexible assembly project. It isn’t just about Totally Integrated Automation, either. It is also about Totally Integrated Power. “We’ve provided critical power control for major banks and data centers,” Sadlowski declared. So what about the exiderdome? “It is a unique, hands-on environment where our customers can see the entire range of our product lines,” Sadlowski said. “The exiderdome will help us increase sales, gain visibility, demonstrate Siemens capabilities and technology competence, and spotlight the breadth of Siemens’ product line.” “So what’s our impact?” Sadlowski asked. “Our growth is clear. From 2004 to 2005, we grew 7.5%, in percent of sales. From 2005 to 2006, we grew 47%, and from 2006 to 2007, we grew 23%.” Some of that growth came from acquisitions like Flender, US Filter, UGS, and Robicon, all bringing new markets and technologies to integrate into the Siemens product portfolio. “Our focus is on market leadership,” Sadlowski declared. “By 2010 to 2012, we expect to be the leader in our core markets of factory automation, process automation, power distribution and solutions and services in North America.” I interviewed Sadlowski for the Automation Summit eShow Daily, which comes out this evening. You can see the interview by clicking HERE.