Siemens in China

Innovation for China’s development

In China, Siemens focuses on digital innovations and combines the extensive network of innovation centers and global R&D systems with local business needs. Siemens develops innovative products and solutions to fulfill the needs of local customers and breathe fresh life into transformation and upgrade of China’s industries. Meanwhile, Siemens spares no effort to build an open innovation ecosystem in China. The company partners with local governments, leading enterprises, medium, small and micro-sized enterprises and start-ups, as well as universities and scientific research institutions to jointly develop future-oriented innovations and achieve win-win situation for all parties.

By fiscal 2017, the company had 21 R&D hubs, more than 4,500 R&D and engineering staff, and around 12,000 active patents and patent applications in China. Siemens’ top-notch innovators are working in world-class innovation labs in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Wuxi, Qingdao, Chengdu, etc. to contribute to China’s “Indigenous Innovation”.

Siemens Wuxi Innovation Center was established in 2013. Based on local demands, the innovation center carried out extensive cooperation with local enterprises in fields including intelligent equipment, transparency factory, PROFINET, etc. to support industry upgrade and enterprise automation. Wuxi Innovation Center has cooperated with Miracle Automation Engineering Co Ltd to develop the digital car assembly line in an Internet of Things demonstration project, helping the company to increase quality of products and services and realize fast business growth.

In 2016, Siemens launched “Siemens China Innovation Center Initiative”, focusing on innovation in the area of digitalization. Under this initiative, Siemens Qingdao Innovation Center was set up in March 2016. This center was Siemens’ first innovation center of intelligent manufacturing outside Germany. In September 2016, Siemens Corporate Technology Suzhou opened with the focus on researches of big data, the web of systems, connected mobility, cyber security solutions and industrial robotics.

In January 2017, Siemens opened Wuhan Industry Maker Space to explore and establish innovation models and industrial ecosystem of intelligent manufacturing in China together with partners. Siemens will also cooperate with local universities and scientific research institutions to accelerate innovations in medium-sized, small and micro enterprises. Wuhan Industry Maker Space was a part of Siemens Wuhan Innovation Center. The center was established in 2013 with focus on R&D in areas including Industrial Internet of Things data integration and application support technology, intelligent manufacturing, smart water, etc.

In May 2017, Siemens announced the commercial release of its Cyber Security Operation Center service as part of its Cyber Defense Center (CDC) in Suzhou, China. Siemens industrial security specialists based in Siemens Corporate Technology Suzhou monitor customers’ digital factories and production lines, identify cyber threats facing customers, warn owners in the event of security incidents and coordinate proactive countermeasures. Siemens China CDC is also integrated into the global footprint of other Siemens Cyber Security Operation Centers already in operation in Munich of Germany, Lisbon of Portugal and Milford of the USA.

Meanwhile, Siemens China will lead the company’s global research in autonomous robotics with focus on the research and development of new mechatronics systems, human-robot collaboration and the application of artificial intelligence in robotic controllers. In line with this strategic move, Siemens has also entered into partnership with Tsinghua University to jointly set up Tsinghua University–Siemens Joint Research Center for Advanced Robotics in Beijing.