Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Fujitsu Siemens to part with

Fujitsu SiemensFor the first time the news came as early as August, but only at the end of September, it seems, have begun to take seriously. The company Siemens is going to go out of business for the production of computers, sold its share in the joint venture Fujitsu Siemens Computers. One of the buyers may be China's Lenovo. As a result, the market will disappear one of the last European computer brands.

German group Siemens plans to exit the business of manufacturing computers, sold its share in the joint with a Japanese company Fujitsu enterprise. In doing so, it is a company Fujitsu has a preferential right to purchase shares in Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC), which was founded 9 years ago. But, interestingly, Fujitsu does not burning desire to buy share of Siemens. According to the President Fujitsu Kuniaki Nodzoe, production of mobile phones his company is now considering a more profitable business. In his view, using the phone company can reach in overseas markets better than engaging in sales of personal computers. (Note that in addition to personal computers - laptops and desktops - Fujitsu Siemens Computers makes servers and meynfreymy.) Agree, of course, quite controversial. It seems that China's IT-industry behave more foresight. According to several media, in buying shares of Siemens might be interested company Lenovo - the largest in China and the fourth largest worldwide manufacturer of computers. According to analysts, the market value of FSC (capitalization) may be about 2.6 billion euros. Accordingly, Lenovo in the case of buying shares of Siemens will have to pay for it from 1.3 billion euros. It is significant that, despite the financial crisis, shares Fujitsu Siemens Computers little fell in price. This is due to the fact that the American market accounts for a very small percentage of sales companies (mostly servers).

In 2007, sales of Fujitsu Siemens Computers was 6.6 billion euros. Nevertheless, the company is under severe competitive pressure from giants such as HP and Dell. According to Gartner, to date, Fujitsu Siemens holds 5.5% of the world market of servers, and according to DisplaySearch, - 5,2% market notebooks. Figures for «classic» desktop much more modest. It is worth recalling that a month ago, the concern Siemens announced sale of its units to produce wireless phones, receivers and other devices - Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices. According to the official version of a German corporation this step was taken in the Siemens strategy to focus on three areas of work: production equipment for energy, industry and medicine. According to the same independent observers, everything that happens - echoes of the huge corruption scandal that has shaken the group Siemens at the end of last - earlier this year. In turn, Fujitsu is interested in maintaining the unit Fujitsu Siemens Computers, who works at the corporate market. After the dissolution of the alliance with Fujitsu Siemens company will try to sell the unit responsible for the supply of PCs to end users.

Help IT SECTOR:

Fujitsu Siemens Computers BV - the largest German-Japanese company - a manufacturer of computers and IT company with headquarters in the town of Maarssen, Netherlands. Founded October 1, 1999 by merging computer unit Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG group Siemens AG and Fujitsu ICL Computers - European unit Fujitsu Limited. At 50% stake in the company owned by Siemens AG and Fujitsu Limited. The company has businesses in the cities of Augsburg, Munich, Paderborn, Zemmerda (Germany) and Sanniveyl, California (USA). The direction of the company - development and implementation of critical business applications and the development of mobile solutions. Proposals presented to companies in various sectors of the market - from handheld and desktop computers to corporate-level server solutions. Fujitsu Siemens Computers is a leader in all key markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. According to the results of 2007 fiscal year, the company turnover reached 6.614 trillion euros. This was the highest level in the history of the company. Profit before tax also reached a record size - 105.6 million euros. Nevertheless, the company lags behind its closest competitor, Dell and HP.

Now, apparently, is gambling. Siemens concern is actually intended to sell its 50 percent stake in their joint enterprise with Fujitsu, but the Japanese company believes that the price required by its German partner, is too high. In doing so, according to insider information, the share of German companies in the Fujitsu Siemens there are enough applicants, so in case of refusal to buy back half of Fujitsu business on the desired price package Siemens will take the party (for example, the same Lenovo). In this version of events, for which Siemens vykupit share and Fujitsu will sell the entire company, analysts called unlikely. In this case, Fujitsu will have to pay a heavy price, after which the company clearly oboznachivshaya intention to get rid of this business will be under pressure from potential buyers. These buyers will start openly undercut, arguing that the global financial crisis and the consequent drop in demand for the computer industry.

Interestingly, just shortly before news of the «divorce» Siemens and Fujitsu company Fujitsu Siemens Computers introduced a large number of new models of its products. This, for example, a laptop Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pa 3515, designed based on the AMD Puma platform and belongs to a class of consumer notebooks. It also was recently presented new server, Fujitsu Siemens Primergy RX600 S4, designed to solve complex computational problems. It is designed for the largest companies of medium-sized business segment, as well as for large enterprises. Primergy RX600 S4 is designed to provide the best platform to consolidate multiple systems and workloads on fewer but more powerful servers. These servers can easily cope with the demanding resources systems, ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management), as well as suitable for a database large volume, which requires extremely high levels of system resources. And, of course, Fujitsu Siemens could not ignore the rapidly formed netbukov market. In late September, the company presented its first netbuk - Amilo Mini Ui 3520. The computer is equipped with a 8.9-inch LCD display with a standard for netbukov resolution 1024x600 pixels and a processor Intel Atom N270 with a clock speed of 1.6 GHz. Home sales of new items scheduled for October. Suggested retail price is about $ 585. Interestingly, the earlier the representatives of Fujitsu Siemens said that netbuki not a profitable business, and they are not going to produce. In general, new products in short supply. This is the only question is: What will all these product lines, if a company Fujitsu Siemens Computers will cease to exist?

All this, of course, very sad. Directly in front of crashing one of the most successful alliances in the computer industry. It may disappear trademark long to win the trust and respect for consumers. And what a wicked irony is that the article I wrote on my notebook Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pro, which is the true faith and I have one and a half years. Encouraging one: the corporation Siemens and Fujitsu are continuing negotiations on future co-organized by the company. If the contract between them will not be broken until 2009, it will automatically extend for the next five years.