Munich — The number of Siemens patents has risen to a record level. In fiscal 2013, the number of patents granted in continuing operations increased by five percent year-over-year to 60,000. Twelve Siemens researchers and developers, who together account for around 600 invention disclosures and 500 granted individual patents, played a leading role here. They were honored by Siemens as Inventors of the Year 2013 in Munich on December 4. “The technological expertise and knowhow of the Siemens inventors contribute substantially to our company’s success,” said Klaus Helmrich, the member of Siemens’ Managing Board responsible for Human Resources and the company’s Chief Technology Officer at the awards ceremony.
In addition, expenditures on research and development (R&D) rose to €4.3 billion in just-completed fiscal year 2013 – about €50 million more than the year before – and totaled 5.7 percent of revenue, up from 5.5 percent in fiscal 2012. “Despite a demanding environment, we’ve invested more in research and development,” emphasized Klaus Helmrich. “This demonstrates our clear commitment to the importance of research and innovation.” The company had 29,800 R&D employees worldwide, more than a third of whom were in Germany.
Siemens concentrates on innovation- and technology-driven growth markets. “Where and how we file patents is based on the relevance of the market and is an important international competitive element for us,” said Beat Weibel, head of Siemens Intellectual Property.
Since 1995, Siemens has been presenting the Inventors of the Year award on an annual basis to the organization’s outstanding researchers and developers whose inventions make major contributions to the company’s success.
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