‘Extremely annoying’: Siemens Energy ups pressure on wind division

FRANKFURT: Siemens Energy cranked up the pressure on wind turbine division Siemens Gamesa on Wednesday, saying it was “extremely annoying” that it was forced to slash its profit outlook because of the Spanish-listed unit.

The comments from CEO Christian Bruch highlight the problems around the arm’s length relationship he inherited after Siemens Energy’s spin-off from Siemens AG last year, handing him a majority in a business he effectively cannot control.

Bruch, 51, said slow progress in tackling problems at Siemens Gamesa’s onshore business, coupled with a lack of transparency, were the main issues that needed fixing.

“The onshore area is absolutely not satisfying,” Bruch told journalists after unveiling a net loss and 37% drop in orders for the third quarter, blaming a weak performance at Siemens Gamesa, in which Siemens Energy owns 67%.

“Of course our expectation was that problems can be brought under control significantly faster.”

Siemens Gamesa declined to comment.

Shares in Siemens Energy fell as much as 3.4% to the bottom of Germany’s benchmark DAX index, while Siemens Gamesa’s stock rose as much as 2.1%, partly boosted by hopes that Siemens Energy might buy the remaining stake.

Credit Suisse analysts said expectations for a more complex energy market, where offering both renewables and integrated solutions would be critical, “suggests the attractiveness of getting full control of (Siemens Gamesa) in the longer run”.

FULL CONTROL

Sources told Reuters last month that Siemens Energy, which supplies turbines and services to utilities, was exploring ways to get full control of the division in order to increase its influence and end its role as a helpless bystander.

When asked about this, Bruch said a purchase of the remaining 33% stake in Siemens Gamesa - currently worth 5.35 billion euros ($6.34 billion) - was not his top priority.

Siemens Energy, in charts published alongside results for its third quarter ending June 30, said it was in close alignment with Siemens Gamesa’s board regarding “remediation measures”, without being more specific.