North American Windpower: Siemens To Make Wind Division A Separate Unit

Siemens To Make Wind Division A Separate Unit

by NAW Staff Thursday August 04 2011

Siemens has announced that it plans to realign its renewables business into two independent units, effective Oct. 1. The existing renewable energy division will be divided into two new divisions: wind power, and solar and hydro.

Felix Ferlemann, currently head of the chassis systems division at Benteler Automotive, will be appointed CEO of Siemens' wind division.

"We're separating solar and wind power because these two markets are at very different stages of development," says Michael Suess, CEO of Siemens Energy. "In our established wind power business, we'll be forging ahead with industrialization and internationalization. Germany, the rest of Europe and the whole world need power storage systems for the integration of renewables."

Siemens' solar and hydro division will handle power storage research. The future CEO of this division has not yet been appointed.

The industrialization of manufacturing and logistics, with a view toward reducing power-generation costs through high-efficiency production, will play an important role in the wind industry, according to the company. Particular importance will also be paid to regionalization in order to enhance customer intimacy. Siemens will, therefore, conduct its wind energy business below division level from three regional business units located in the U.S., Asia and Europe.

To further reduce wind power generating costs, the company will focus on new products and industrialized manufacturing and logistics. In addition, internationalization of the manufacturing, and marketing and sales network will play a key role in Siemens' strategy, according to the company.

Following the opening of two new factories in the U.S. and China in late 2010, the company is planning further production facilities in Canada, the U.K., India, Russia and Brazil.

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