PresseBox
Press release BoxID: 479222 (Siemens AG)
  • Siemens AG
  • Wittelsbacherplatz 2
  • 80333 München
  • http://www.siemens.com

Siemens announces agreement to acquire Canadian network supplier RuggedCom Inc.

(PresseBox) (Munich (Germany), ) Siemens has entered into an agreement with RuggedCom Inc. (TSX: RCM) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of RuggedCom by way of a friendly, board-supported takeover bid. The Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange is a leading provider of communications and networking solutions for harsh industrial environments. The takeover bid is for C$33.00 per common share in cash, or a total transaction value of approximately C$382 million. RuggedCom's Board of Directors has unanimously determined to support, and to recommend that RuggedCom's shareholders accept the offer. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain limited conditions, Siemens expects to take up shares under the offer in the second half of March 2012.

With annual revenues of approximately US$94 million (fiscal 2011) and approximately 360 employees, RuggedCom, headquartered in Concord, Ontario, Canada, is a leading provider of robust, industrial-quality Ethernet communication products and network solutions. These products are used primarily under rough environmental conditions - for example, in power distribution, in refineries, or in traffic control systems.

Siemens' portfolio of industrial Ethernet networking components is enjoying above-average growth rates compared to the competition. Until now, the main emphasis of Siemens' installed base in this segment has been in Europe. "RuggedCom's portfolio would be an ideal addition to our range of industrial Ethernet communication products, improving our industrial-quality router and switch offering. In addition, the acquisition would improve our footprint in the North America and the Asia-Pacific region," said Anton S. Huber, CEO of the Siemens Industry Automation Division. Huber also indicated that all of RuggedCom's and Siemens' product lines would be developed further in the next few years.

The Siemens offer will be made through a wholly-owned subsidiary and is expected to be mailed in early February, 2012. A takeover bid circular, directors' circular and related documents will be mailed to shareholders in accordance with applicable laws (all subject to the terms and conditions of the written agreement).

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the world's leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products and solutions for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the Sector enhances its customers' productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Divisions Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services as well as the Business Unit Metals Technologies. For more information, visit http://www.siemens.com/industry

The Siemens Industry Automation Division (Nuremberg, Germany) supports the entire value chain of its industrial customers - from product design to production and services - with an unmatched combination of automation technology, industrial control technology, and industrial software. With its software solutions, the Division can shorten the time-to-market of new products by up to 50 percent. Industry Automation comprises five Business Units: Industrial Automation Systems, Control Components and Systems Engineering, Sensors and Communications, Siemens PLM Software, and Water Technologies. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/industryautomation

This document contains forward-looking statements and information - that is, statements related to future, not past, events. These statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "looks forward to," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "will," "project" or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of Siemens' management, and are, therefore, subject to certain risks and uncertainties. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond Siemens' control, affect Siemens' operations, performance, business strategy and results and could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Siemens to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In particular, Siemens is strongly affected by changes in general economic and business conditions as these directly impact its processes, customers and suppliers. This may negatively impact our revenue development and the realization of greater capacity utilization as a result of growth. Yet due to their diversity, not all of Siemens' businesses are equally affected by changes in economic conditions; considerable differences exist in the timing and magnitude of the effects of such changes. This effect is amplified by the fact that, as a global company, Siemens is active in countries with economies that vary widely in terms of growth rate. Uncertainties arise from, among other things, the risk of customers delaying the conversion of recognized orders into revenue or cancelling recognized orders, of prices declining as a result of continued adverse market conditions by more than is currently anticipated by Siemens' management or of functional costs increasing in anticipation of growth that is not realized as expected. Other factors that may cause Siemens' results to deviate from expectations include developments in the financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and exchange rates (in particular in relation to the U.S. dollar), in commodity and equity prices, in debt prices (credit spreads) and in the value of financial assets generally. Any changes in interest rates or other assumptions used in calculating obligations for pension plans and similar commitments may impact Siemens' defined benefit obligations and the anticipated performance of pension plan assets resulting in unexpected changes in the funded status of Siemens' pension and other post-employment benefit plans. Any increase in market volatility, further deterioration in the capital markets, decline in the conditions for the credit business, continued uncertainty related to the subprime, financial market and liquidity crises, or fluctuations in the future financial performance of the major industries served by Siemens may have unexpected effects on Siemens' results. Furthermore, Siemens faces risks and uncertainties in connection with: disposing of business activities, certain strategic reorientation measures; the performance of its equity interests and strategic alliances; the challenge of integrating major acquisitions, implementing joint ventures and other significant portfolio measures; the introduction of competing products or technologies by other companies or market entries by new competitors; changing competitive dynamics (particularly in developing markets); the risk that new products or services will not be accepted by customers targeted by Siemens; changes in business strategy; the outcome of pending investigations, legal proceedings and actions resulting from the findings of, or related to the subject matter of, such investigations; the potential impact of such investigations and proceedings on Siemens' business, including its relationships with governments and other customers; the potential impact of such matters on Siemens' financial statements, and various other factors. More detailed information about certain of the risk factors affecting Siemens is contained throughout this report and in Siemens' other filings with the SEC, which are available on the Siemens website, www.siemens.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the relevant forward-looking statement as expected, anticipated, intended, planned, believed, sought, estimated or projected. Siemens neither intends to, nor assumes any obligation to, update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments which differ from those anticipated.

Company address

  • Siemens AG
  • Wittelsbacherplatz 2
  • D - 80333 München

Press release

  • Monitor