Fujitsu Siemens Computers

Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH was a Japanese-German information-technology vendor formed on October 1, 1999, through a 50/50 joint venture between Fujitsu of Japan and Siemens AG of Germany. The company combined Fujitsu's computing and systems capabilities with Siemens Nixdorf's established European computer business, creating one of the last substantial Japanese-European computer manufacturers. Its principal commercial territory covered Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while related Fujitsu services operations reached customers in substantially more countries. The company operated across several layers of the IT market. Its consumer and small-business portfolio included handheld computers, notebooks, desktop PCs, monitors and home-entertainment products. The range included brands such as AMILO, AMILO Pro, LIFEBOOK, ESPRIMO, SCALEO, SCENIC, Pocket LOOX, SCALEOVIEW and SCENICVIEW. It also supplied professional mobile computers, workstations and tablet or convertible systems, including CELSIUS and STYLISTIC products. In the enterprise segment, Fujitsu Siemens Computers sold industry-standard PRIMERGY servers, PRIMERGY BladeFrame systems, PRIMEQUEST mission-critical servers, SPARC-based systems, mainframes and storage or data-center infrastructure. Its services activities supported implementation, operation and maintenance of corporate IT environments. The business inherited capabilities from both partners. On the Fujitsu side, its lineage included the former Nokia Data and ICL PC activities, as well as Fujitsu's mainframe expertise and the 1997 acquisition of Amdahl. On the Siemens side, the company drew on Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme, itself created from Siemens' data-processing activities and Nixdorf Computer. This combination gave the joint venture a broad portfolio spanning consumer electronics, office computing, servers, mainframes, operating systems and professional services. Environmental efficiency became a visible part of the company's positioning. Fujitsu Siemens Computers promoted so-called Green IT and emphasized energy-efficient products and environmental certifications, including Energy Star and the Nordic Swan ecolabel. This focus helped distinguish the company in a market increasingly concerned with power consumption, product materials and the environmental impact of data centers. The company also maintained a high-profile marketing presence through sponsorship of the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team in 1999 and 2000. In November 2008, Fujitsu announced an agreement to acquire Siemens' interest for approximately 450 million euros. The transaction took effect on April 1, 2009. On that date, Fujitsu Siemens Computers was renamed Fujitsu Technology Solutions, ending the joint-venture brand as a corporate identity. The former FSC website was subsequently discontinued, and the business continued within Fujitsu's enterprise technology organization rather than as an independent company. Its products and capabilities were therefore not simply abandoned, but were absorbed into Fujitsu's broader product and services portfolio.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers was established on October 1, 1999, as an equal joint venture between Fujitsu and Siemens AG. The creation brought together two substantial but historically different computing businesses. Fujitsu contributed Japanese technology resources and a lineage connected with the former Nokia Data and ICL computer activities. Nokia's MikroMikko compact desktop computers had been produced in Finland and were later marketed internationally by Fujitsu under the ErgoPro name. Fujitsu also had a major enterprise-computing presence, including its own IBM-compatible mainframe activities and the Amdahl business, which it had acquired in 1997. Siemens contributed the European business developed through Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme. That organization reflected the combination of Siemens' data and information-technology operations with Nixdorf Computer, a prominent German computer manufacturer. The two partners therefore brought complementary strengths: Fujitsu had substantial Asian technology resources and enterprise-computing expertise, while Siemens offered a strong European sales, manufacturing and services footprint. The new company sold a wide range of products. At the client end, it offered notebooks, desktops, handheld computers, tablet and convertible systems, monitors and home-media products. AMILO, AMILO Pro, LIFEBOOK, ESPRIMO, SCALEO, SCENIC, Pocket LOOX and STYLISTIC represented important parts of this portfolio. Professional and technical users were served by CELSIUS mobile workstations and desktop workstations. In corporate infrastructure, the company supplied PRIMERGY industry-standard servers, PRIMERGY BladeFrame systems, PRIMEQUEST mission-critical systems, SPARC Enterprise servers, UNIX systems, mainframes, storage and associated data-center services. Its software and systems heritage was similarly broad. The company and its predecessors supported operating environments including SINIX, later known as Reliant UNIX, as well as BS2000 and VM2000 for compatible enterprise platforms. These offerings allowed the business to serve customers ranging from home and office computer users to large organizations operating mission-critical systems. Fujitsu Siemens Computers concentrated its direct brand presence on Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Products sold in other regions were generally marketed under Fujitsu branding, while the services organization had an international reach extending to as many as 170 countries. The company's identity was therefore more regional than that of Fujitsu as a whole, even though its parent companies were international enterprises. Environmental efficiency became one of the company's notable strategic themes. It promoted Green IT and sought recognition through energy and environmental standards such as Energy Star and the Nordic Swan ecolabel. This emphasis applied both to personal computers and to the broader issue of energy use in corporate computing and data centers. In 2003, the company received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award for its use of information technology in an industry-changing manner. Marketing also extended beyond conventional computer advertising. Fujitsu Siemens Computers sponsored the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team during the 1999 and 2000 seasons, giving the newly formed brand visibility in an international sporting context. By the late 2000s, the joint-venture structure was approaching its end. In November 2008, Fujitsu announced an agreement to buy Siemens' share for approximately 450 million euros. The acquisition was completed on April 1, 2009. Fujitsu Siemens Computers was renamed Fujitsu Technology Solutions, and the former joint-venture website was later terminated. The company consequently became a historical brand and legal entity rather than an ongoing standalone vendor, although its products, personnel, customer relationships and technical capabilities continued within Fujitsu's business.

• 2009

  Joint venture becomes Fujitsu Technology Solutions

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition closed on April 1, 2009, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers was renamed Fujitsu Technology Solutions.

• 2008

  Fujitsu agrees to buy Siemens stake

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  Fujitsu announced an agreement to acquire Siemens' interest in the joint venture for approximately 450 million euros.

• 2003

  Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  The company won the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award for its use of information technology in a transformative business context.

• 2000

  McLaren Mercedes sponsorship continues

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  Fujitsu Siemens Computers maintained its Formula One sponsorship during the 2000 season.

• 1999

  Fujitsu Siemens Computers is founded

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  Fujitsu and Siemens established the company as a 50/50 joint venture on October 1, 1999.

• 1999

  McLaren Mercedes sponsorship begins

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  The company began sponsoring the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team, a relationship that continued through the 2000 season.

• 1997

  Fujitsu acquires Amdahl

  [1]Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org

  Fujitsu fully acquired Amdahl, strengthening its position in IBM-compatible mainframes and contributing enterprise-computing capabilities that later formed part of the wider Fujitsu Siemens portfolio.

A broad European IT supplier combining consumer computing, professional hardware, enterprise servers, storage, mainframes and technology services, with a notable emphasis on energy efficiency and Green IT.

• Consumer and small-business notebooks

  AMILO and AMILO Pro

  AMILO systems were Fujitsu Siemens Computers' consumer-oriented notebook line, while AMILO Pro targeted professional and small-business users. The families represented the company's participation in the mainstream portable-computer market during the 2000s.

• Professional notebooks and convertible PCs

  LIFEBOOK

  LIFEBOOK was the company's professional mobile-computing family. It included business notebooks and related portable systems, with the brand continuing in Fujitsu's later product portfolio after the Fujitsu Siemens Computers name was retired.

• Business desktop and mobile computers

  ESPRIMO

  ESPRIMO covered business-oriented desktop and mobile computers. The line formed part of the company's office-computing offering and was positioned for organizational deployments rather than purely consumer use.

• Desktop personal computers

  SCALEO and SCENIC

  SCALEO and SCENIC were desktop-computer families serving consumer, office and institutional users. They helped give Fujitsu Siemens Computers coverage across both home PCs and more standardized business desktop environments.

• Workstations

  CELSIUS

  CELSIUS systems were professional workstations, including mobile and desktop variants. They were intended for technically demanding workloads and complemented the company's general-purpose notebook and desktop products.

• Tablet PCs

  STYLISTIC

  STYLISTIC was the company's tablet-computer family. It represented Fujitsu Siemens Computers' early participation in professional and specialized tablet computing before tablets became a mainstream consumer category.

• Handheld computers

  Pocket LOOX

  Pocket LOOX devices were handheld computers intended for mobile personal and professional use. They extended the company's client-device portfolio below the notebook category.

• Industry-standard servers

  PRIMERGY

  PRIMERGY was the company's main industry-standard server family, covering conventional enterprise servers and blade-oriented infrastructure. It became one of the principal bridges between Fujitsu Siemens Computers' hardware business and corporate data-center customers.

• Mission-critical servers

  PRIMEQUEST

  PRIMEQUEST systems were designed for mission-critical workloads and high-end enterprise deployments. They occupied a position between standard server infrastructure and the company's larger mainframe and specialized-system offerings.

• Enterprise UNIX servers

  SPARC Enterprise and PRIMEPOWER

  SPARC Enterprise and PRIMEPOWER systems served enterprise customers requiring UNIX-based, high-availability or specialized computing platforms. The range included multiple performance classes and reflected the company's systems heritage beyond commodity x86 servers.

• Mainframes

  S-series and SX-series

  The S-series and SX-series were mainframe and mainframe-compatible systems associated with the company's enterprise-computing portfolio. They supported the long-running Siemens and Fujitsu tradition of serving large institutional and data-processing installations.

• Computer monitors and displays

  SCALEOVIEW and SCENICVIEW

  SCALEOVIEW and SCENICVIEW were display families covering flat-panel computer monitors and related visual products. They complemented the company's desktop and notebook business and, in the broader product range, sat alongside LCD and plasma television products.

• Operating systems and virtualization software

  SINIX, Reliant UNIX, BS2000 and VM2000

  These operating-system and virtualization technologies supported the company's RISC, x86, SPARC and S/390-compatible enterprise platforms. SINIX was later known as Reliant UNIX, while BS2000 and VM2000 served specialized mainframe and enterprise-system environments.

• 2000McLaren Mercedes Formula One sponsorship

  International

  The company maintained its sponsorship of McLaren Mercedes during the 2000 Formula One season, giving the European-focused computer brand broad international exposure.

  Outcome. The documented sponsorship period ended after 2000.

  Source
• 1999McLaren Mercedes Formula One sponsorship

  International

  Fujitsu Siemens Computers sponsored the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team as part of its early international brand-building efforts after the joint venture was formed.

  Outcome. The sponsorship continued through the 2000 season; no further outcome is specified in the available reference material.

  Source
• Green IT positioning

  Europe · Middle East · Africa

  The company promoted environmentally conscious computing and highlighted energy and ecological certifications, including Energy Star and the Nordic Swan ecolabel.

  Outcome. Green IT became one of the company's recognized areas of differentiation, although a campaign end date is not specified.

  Source

• 2009

  Rebranding as Fujitsu Technology SolutionsStrategy

  Background

  Following Fujitsu's acquisition of Siemens' interest, the joint venture no longer required a dual-parent brand identity.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name to Fujitsu Technology Solutions on April 1, 2009, and shifted its identity into the Fujitsu group.

  Aftermath

  The Fujitsu Siemens Computers website was terminated and the brand became historical, while relevant products and services continued under Fujitsu.

  Source

• 2008

  Fujitsu agrees to purchase Siemens' joint-venture interestM&A

  Background

  Fujitsu Siemens Computers had operated since 1999 as an equal partnership between Fujitsu and Siemens. In November 2008, Fujitsu announced a plan to end the joint-venture structure by acquiring Siemens' share.

  Action taken

  Fujitsu agreed to buy Siemens' stake for approximately 450 million euros, with the transaction scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2009.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was completed as planned. The company was renamed Fujitsu Technology Solutions, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers ceased to operate as the standalone corporate brand.

  Purchase price for Siemens' stake. Approximately €450 million (Announced November 2008; effective April 1, 2009)

  Source

1. 1Fujitsu Siemens Computersen.wikipedia.org