Siemens in the US (click to download)
Interview with Charlie King
Siemens is a huge global business; would you tell us which part of the business you’re representing and will be at Navy Gold Coast?
I represent Siemens Industry Inc. It is one of the four business sectors that make up Siemens.
The business units or divisions within Siemens Industry are our Process and Drives division, Digital Factory division, Energy Management division, and Customer Solutions division. The Process and Drives division makes drives and motors for both federal and commercial customers. Our Digital Factory division is responsible for our automation and control, PLC and SCADA solutions. The Energy Management business unit makes our electrical distribution products such as switchgear, panel boards, breakers, etc. Finally our Customer Solutions group is where we provide maintenance and service on both Siemens equipment as well as that of our competitors. The federal market is very important to Siemens and accounts for approximately one billion in annual revenue.
What are Siemens Industry Inc. goals for Gold Coast 2017?
One of our go to market strategies for the federal market is to align and work with small businesses. At Gold Coast we try to identify and meet small businesses who have the capability to take our commercial-off-the-shelf products and solutions and integrate them onboard Navy and Coast Guard ships. One of our key goals is to meet small businesses who are doing that. Additionally, we use the Gold Coast event as a way to showcase some of our products and solutions for Navy and Coast Guard customers. It is also a good forum to interact with other large businesses, federal agencies, and customers.
Siemens Industry Inc. is focused on meeting small businesses at Gold Coast. Would you characterize the ideal small business partner as an installer or firm that would integrate your product into a larger solution?
Siemens doesn’t manufacture a custom navy product. We make commercial products. So an ideal small business partner would be one that is able to take our commercial product and do what is required to have it pass Navy requirements for installation onboard the ship. For example, one of our small business partners takes our commercial-off-the-shelf variable frequency drives and integrates it in a custom enclosure that they manufacture which meets the Navy’s Shock and Vibe and EMI requirements. We work with them to provide the product and they conduct the required testing and installation on the vessel.
Please provide a profile of the ideal partner that Siemens Industry Inc. is looking for at Gold Coast.
I think our ideal small business is not someone who is looking for us to take them into the navy. It’s someone who has expertise and/or experience with electrical distribution, drives, motors, and automation and control systems and someone that can take our product and do what is required to place it onboard Navy and Coast Guard ships. It’s a small business who has electrical or automation and control expertise and experience putting these solutions onboard ships. Familiarity with Siemens products/solutions is not a requirement, if they’re not familiar with our product we can train them. The vast majority of Siemens Industry business is through an integrator, both small and large, where we’re providing them with a commercial product that they subsequently install onboard the ship.
So, Siemens Industry Inc. is focused on connecting with integrators large or small at Gold Coast. Navy Gold Coast, also hosts all the Navy Systems Commands. Which of the Systems Commands are you looking to contact?
NAVSEA would be the first that comes to mind. We do a substantial business with NAVSEA through our integrators. We have product on the Littoral Combat Ship, Aircraft Carriers, the new Zumwalt Class Destroyer (DDG-1000), and several other ship classes. We also do work some with NAVFAC. We have a construction side to our business, so we can provide product to NAVFAC as well. For Siemens Industry Inc., our primary focus at Gold Coast is NAVSEA and our shipboard solutions, but if NAVFAC is available or if there are potential small business partners that want to discuss industrial solutions for buildings we can do that as well.
As you’re aware all the Navy’s Systems Commands will attend Gold Coast. You’ve brought up a capability to provide industrial controls solutions to the construction industry. Is there a specific or different profile of a construction firm that you’d like to meet at Gold Coast?
In the construction market, most of our involvement is with electrical contractors. We would provide electrical distribution equipment such as switchgear, panel boards, and breakers. On the industrial controls side it’s similar. We would work with an electrical contractor who is familiar with metering or a small business who understands process controls, using SCADA or PLCs for process controls.
Siemens Industry Inc. has sponsored Gold Coast in previous years.
Yes, we’ve sponsored the last three or four years and have participated the past five or six years at least.
What are the specific points of value do you find Gold Coast provides Siemens Industry Inc.?
Gold Coast is an excellent forum to showcase Siemens solutions for the Navy and Coast Guard and meet potential small business partners. We have a strategic initiative to grow our Navy and DoD business and the Gold Coast Show has proven a good venue for us to do that. Over the years, the Gold Coast Show has been a really good forum for Siemens to find new small business partners and to showcase our products and solutions for our Navy and Coast Guard customers as they come by our booth.
Well thank you very much. As the last word is there a message that you’d like to provide the government or potential business partners?
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard market is very important to Siemens Industry Inc. and we understand the pressure to reduce operating expenses and drive down costs in new ship construction. The use of Commercial-Off-the-Shelf products is one way to help achieve these cost savings. Siemens Industry is committed to working with our Navy and Coast Guard customers and with our small business partners to provide a commercial solution, which in most cases is cheaper than a MIL-SPEC product, that can be tailored to meet and/or exceed the requirements and help the Navy and Coast Guard achieve their mandate to reduce both new ship construction and operating costs.
