Reorg at Siemens

ORLANDO, Fla.—In an effort to provide more integrated and intelligent solutions to its customers, Siemens has merged its fire and security businesses to form Siemens' Fire Safety and Security business unit.

Bob Suermann, VP and business unit head of the new unit, made the announcement on Sept. 20 at a customer event at Epcot during the ASIS show.

The new Fire Safety and Security business unit is made up of two segments: Life Cycle and Enterprise. Thomas Beare is the new senior director of Life Cycle Solutions and Services; and Rob Hile is the new senior director of and Enterprise Solutions and Services.

Suermann said there are many synergies that exist between the fire market and the security market, and cited mass notification applications and command and control solutions as an example.

“This has been in the works for quite a while,” Hile told Security Systems News, “We listened to the voice of our customers and we're doing this in response to what we heard.”

Hile has worked in the security industry for more than 20 years, and has expertise in IP networks and providing complex integrated solutions for global customers. Most recently he was director of Integrated Security Solutions at Siemens. Beare has 16 years of experience in the fire and security industry. His expertise is in life-cycle management of intrusion, fire and access control, and the development of market strategies and channel management.

Beare's segment, what Hile called Siemen's “bread and butter” business will include solutions for intrusion, access control, CCTV, fire detection, evacuation, and extinguishing and fire alarm monitoring. It will also provide design assistance, migration lifecycle solutions and service contracts.

Hile's segment will focus on providing customized solutions for intelligent response and business continuity, including mass notification for global and national accounts customers. It will also provide managed security services such as video verification and monitoring, and remote security management.

Siemens has identified the following key vertical markets: healthcare, higher education, cities, airports, commercial office space, federal government, food and beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, and data centers.

The company will be introducing new products and solutions in coming months and more details about the reorganization will be made public in October, according to Hile. “The mission is to be a solution provider with our own intelligent portfolio,” he said.