Siemens 2011 Annual Report Download - page 162

6 A. To our shareholders
23 B. Corporate Governance 51 C. Combined management’s discussion and analysis
52 C. Business and operating environment
80 C.2 Fiscal  – Financial summary
83 C. Results of operations
101 C. Financial position
114 C. Net assets position
117 C. Overall assessment of the economic position
118 C. Report on post-balance sheet date events
119 C. Report on expected developments and
associated material opportunities and risks
135 C. Information required pursuant to Section  ()
and Section  () of the German Commercial
Code (HGB) and explanatory report

analysis, Siemens therefore is one of the most successful in-
dustrial companies in the European Commission‘s research
programs. The most important research areas include the de-
velopment of sustainable technologies, the networking of
machines, new technical materials, and sustainable and in-
novative methods of diagnosis and treatment in the public
health system. Siemens‘ participation in such research pro-
grams enables the Company to stay abreast of the latest de-
velopments in a variety of innovation and research areas and
to obtain large amounts of new knowledge within its inter-
national research partnerships. At the same time, particularly
valuable networks are being formed with the world‘s best
research institutes, with customers and competitors, and
of course with the most talented up-and-coming young
researchers as well.
Corporate Technology (CT) works closely with the R&D
teams of our Sectors and Divisions. To facilitate this coopera-
tion, CT, which has more than 6,400 employees, is set up as a
global network with primary locations in Germany, the U.S.,
Austria, Slovakia, Russia, India, China, Japan, Denmark, and
Singapore. Among CT’s employees, more than , software
engineers at locations in Europe, India, and China develop
and implement software for new products and services for
our Sectors.
The Sectors concentrate their R&D efforts on the next genera-
tion of their products and solutions, which they are preparing
for a successful market launch. By contrast, the aim of the
worldwide network of our CT experts is to be a strong innova-
tion partner for the Siemens operational units and to use their
expertise to safeguard our Company ‘s technological future in
strategically important areas. CT’s employees contribute their
in-depth understanding of fundamental technologies, mod-
els, and trends, as well as substantial software and process
know-how to Siemens. The CT organization cooperates with
universities and with the research community all over the
world.
The roughly  technology fields covered by CT’s global re-
search network include materials that help to enhance the ef-
ficiency of Siemens solutions; security, software, and system
know-how; microsystems; production processes; energy tech-
nology; and sensorics. CT is also researching new solutions
for automation, medical information systems, and imaging
processes.
CT’s technology portfolio is supplemented by lighthouse proj-
ects which are designed to create new business opportunities
for Siemens, including electric mobility, smart grids, and the
processing and recycling of raw materials. All of these are ar-
eas of tremendous strategic importance for Siemens.
In addition to research and development, CT also handles
global patent management for Siemens. More than  ex-
perts support the Company in areas such as the registration,
implementation, and exploitation of its industrial property
and trademark rights.
Among the R&D priorities in the Industry Sector is the IT-
based integration of product planning and production pro-
cesses into product lifecycle management. The objective is to
accelerate the processes at each point along the value-added
chain with the aim of reducing time to market by as much as
%. The further development of automation technology, es-
pecially software, plays a crucial role in this respect. In addi-
tion, the Industry Sector is striving to achieve greater energy
efficiency, lower the consumption of raw materials, and re-
duce emissions. The same goals are being pursued in connec-
tion with the development of high-performance building con-
trol technology, transportation systems featuring energy-sav-
ing drives, and our Complete mobility approach, which aims
to integrate the various transportation systems in order to
bring people and goods to their destinations more rapidly,
more efficiently, and more comfortably. The new ICx long-dis-
tance train will also be part of this approach to mobility. In
May , Siemens and the German railroad company Deutsche
Bahn signed a contract for construction of up to  units of
this model. The ICx is one of the world‘s most modern trains.
We expect these innovative trains to consume about % less
energy per seat than Deutsche Bahn’s existing fleet. This ad-
vance is due to improved aerodynamics and lighter construc-
tion, which reduces the weight of a -meter train by some
 metric tons.
Our R&D activities in the Energy Sector are focused on devel-
oping methods for the efficient generation, transmission, and
distribution of electrical energy. In this regard, the conversion
of existing power grids to smart grids, in particular, is expect-
ed to play a major role. These intelligent grids are the prereq-
uisite for sustainable energy systems and for achieving the
optimal integration of increasingly large amounts of renew-
able energies and future electric vehicles into the energy mix.
Other focal points include gearless wind power plants the