The South African corporate sector spends an estimated R7bn/year on research and development (R&D). In its 2004/2005 financial year, Siemens alone spent about six times as much, with global R&D expenditure coming in at more than 5.2 billion Euros. 14% of which is invested into the medical field, while 19% is concentrated on Automation and Drives.

Research and development is a prerequisite for technological innovations and for future-proofing a company. Siemens now employs more than 47,000 researchers and developers worldwide. This figure represents more than 10% of all the company's employees. They work on the development of innovative products, systems, and services, which help to secure existing business and tap into new markets. In the 2004/05 fiscal year, Siemens spent 5.2 billion Euros for this purpose. That represents 6.8 % of the company's turnover, or about 23 million Euros per working day.

In scenarios for the future, we are committed to achieving significant technological advance to shape the world of tomorrow. Part of this challenge includes providing better healthcare tools, revolutionising the way people transport themselves, solving growing communication requirements and ensuring clean sources of energy that conserve natural resources. Our commitment to research and development ensures that we accurately identify promising prospective trends and needs well in advance, enabling us to lead the way in shaping the future into reality.