Siemens AG Acquires LMS International

By acquiring a leading provider of mechatronic simulation for €680 million, the German industrial conglomerate expands its portfolio of industry software of test and manufacturing simulation for complex products.

“The mechatronic simulation will become more and more important for intelligent and competitive product development and production processes. With the acquisition of LMS, we are entering a leading position in this software segment as well and can significantly boost the pace and power of our clients’ innovation,” said Siegfried Russwurm, a member of the Siemens AG Managing Board and the chief executive officer of the Industry Sector.

The purchase price for LMS International NV (Leuven, Belgium) amounts to approximately €680 million. The transaction is subject to approval by regulatory authorities.

With more than 1,200 employees and revenues of around €140 million for the first nine months of 2012 (January 1 to September 30), LMS is a global partner to some 5,000 companies in the automotive, aerospace, and other industries. The privately held company is supporting all of the Fortune 500 automotive and aerospace manufacturers and their tier-one-suppliers with a combination of mechatronic simulation software, testing systems and engineering services.

LMS offers a complete software platform to model, simulate and test vehicles, aircraft, and other complex products by optimizing their acoustics, vibrations, oscillations, fatigue strength, and dynamics.

The business activities of LMS are to be integrated into the product lifecycle management (PLM) software portfolio within the Siemens Industry Automation Division. “With the acquisition of LMS, we are expanding our portfolio of industry software in an area that is critical for many customers. They will now be able to simulate, test, optimize, and produce their products in a unified, consistent data environment. This will make them faster, more efficient, more flexible and more cost-effective,” explains Anton S. Huber, the chief executive officer of the Industry Automation Division.

“This acquisition is the best possible strategic option to maximize our future growth and continue the long-term success for LMS in a consolidating industry,” said Urbain Vandeurzen, the chairman and chief executive officer of LMS. “Since our foundation in 1980, we have reported over 30 years of continued profit and revenue growth. Our customers can continue to count on our portfolio of solutions and now also on a strong partner that offers complementary technical software, deep industry expertise and long-term stability.”

PLM software, part of the Siemens industry software portfolio, is used by over 70,000 companies worldwide in automotive production, electronics manufacturing, aerospace, mechanical engineering, and other industries. Since its acquisition of UGS Corp. in 2007, Siemens has been the only provider worldwide covering the entire value-added process for product development and production with its software products.

Siemens’ acquisitions since the end of 2011 include Active Tecnologia em Sistemas de Automação Ltda. (pharmaceutical and biotech production), Vistagy Inc. (construction of composites), IBS AG (quality and production management), Innotec do Brasil Ltda. (integrated system management), Perfect Costing Solutions GmbH (cost management), VRcontext International S.A. (3D system visualization) and Kineo CAM (computer-aided motion software).

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is a leading global 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. 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. www.siemens.com/industryautomation