Siemens Business Services management in SA is buoyant about the company's future following the merger between the local SBS operation with Unihold Business Solutions.
SBS, the local subsidiary of Siemens Business Services GmbH, announced at the end of last month that it was to merge with Unihold Business Solutions after SBS acquired the company in a deal worth an estimated R150 million.
This is an awesome merger. The synergies are perfect.
Mike Struthers, group MD, Unihold Business Solutions
SBS holds the controlling interest of 60% with the remainder held by Unihold.
SBS CEO Robert G"ogele says the company does not want simply to be a contractor supplying products to its customers, but an alliance partner, with a focus on offering a mutually supportive service portfolio and value chain.
SBS, which was founded in 1995 and operates in more than 58 countries, aims to be in the top five companies in its business area by 2003.
"To do that, we have to be in the top five in all those countries," says G"ogele. "The Unihold Business Solutions merger brings us a large step closer to that goal in SA."
G"ogele says Siemens is in the process of transforming into an e-business company, and SBS is rolling that project out globally.
"It is a separate legal entity because our main asset is our people rather than products. We are not dependent on Siemens' products, but we are in touch with Siemens so we have a feel for where technology is going."
G"ogele says SBS in SA was previously strongly focused on IT services, with huge gaps in e-business solutions. "With the merger, those gaps have been filled."
Mike Struthers, Unihold Business Solutions group MD, says the two companies fit together "like hand in glove".
"This is an awesome merger," he says. "The synergies are perfect."
He adds that the merger is a value proposition for the company, shareholders and customers, offering electronic and mobile business solutions in e-commerce, customer relationship management, business information management, enterprise resource management, and new solutions based on mobile technology.
The company's Global Portfolio Management offering combines industries, practices and major trends, offering tremendous value, he says.
"Combined, we have more than 550 skills with a national footprint." Local clients include Vodacom, Rand Merchant Bank, Absa, Woolworths, Sandton Convention Centre and Investec Bank.
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