The Automation and Drives Group (A&D) of Siemens Ltd, China today celebrated the new factory opening of its operating company Siemens Low-voltage Circuit Breaker Co., Ltd., Shanghai (SCBC). With a total investment of more than 60 million RMB, the new factory includes a R&D building, a manufacturing base and a warehouse centre. Upon its completion, the new factory substantially increases SCBC's production capacity as well as lays a solid foundation for the company's enhancing its research and development (R&D) competence in a couple of years. A major move taken by Siemens A&D in China's low-voltage power distribution market, it enables SCBC to better serve Chinese industrial users, and also overseas customers.

Covering an area of 30,000 sqm, the new factory is located in Qingpu District, with a manufacturing base and a warehouse centre that involves a total capital injection of more than 60 million RMB. With the new factory going into operation, SCBC will double its production capacity. Meanwhile, the completed R&D building lays a solid foundation for SCBC to expand its R&D team and facilities in the coming few years. The R&D building is part of the planned R&D centre that is expected to entail an investment of 100 million RMB, spent on also lab equipment, training and new product development. Particularly, SCBC will double its R&D team from the existing 50 engineers to 100 engineers over the coming three years, making the R&D centre the most largest of its kind, focusing on low-voltage power distribution products, targeting both China and overseas markets.

As Mr. Rudolf Martin Siegers, President of Siemens A&D Control and Distribution and Chair of the Board of SCBC, remarked, "The new factory is understood as a milestone for the long-term presence of Siemens A&D's Low Voltage Controls and Distribution in China, and it is a great step towards continuous improvement to reduce costs and to take care of high quality as well. The new factory of SCBC is expected to be one of the top circuit breaker providers in China. "

Mr. Schmid, Senior Vice-President of Siemens Ltd, China and Senior Vice-President of A&D China, said, "about one-third of our sales in China are generated from products manufactured here, and we have a clear strategy to increase this proportion. This applies not only to manufacturing, but to R&D as well."

SCBC, a joint venture set up in 2005 between Siemens A&D and Shanghai JingYi Electrical Apparatus Co., Ltd. SCBC, develops and manufactures control and distribution products, including Air Circuit Breaker (ACB), Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), Automatic Transfer Switching Equipment (ATSE) etc. In the past 21 months, SCBC has remained as one of the leading players in China's low-voltage industry, with its products sold to 22 overseas markets. SCBC was honored 2006 Top 10 Taxation Payer of Qingpu District, Shanghai.

The new factory not only sets a milestone in Siemens' low-voltage business development in China, but also will fortify the presence of Siemens A&D in Shanghai. To date, Siemens A&D has set up five operating companies in Shanghai, engaged in electrical drives, low-voltage power distribution, circuit protection, process analytics and electronic assembly.