As a result of the dynamic economic development within Germany as well as abroad, Siemens & Halske (S&H) was faced with competition in the rapidly growing energy technology market, starting in the 1880s. The competitors demonstrated innovative market strategies, financed through the capital market. As a result, S&H faced increasing pressure. Company founder Werner von Siemens had held firmly to his guiding principles for his family-owned enterprise right up to the end of his life. In order to remain competitive, his successors converted the company to a stock corporation in 1897. 

75 Years of Hannover Messe. As in the past, Siemens is ready once again to present itself with innovative products and solutions. The fact that this year the Hannover Messe takes place both live and virtually is also reflected in the company's trade fair motto: "Let's combine real and digital worlds for a sustainable tomorrow." Join us on an exciting trip back across seven and a half decades of trade show history, and see how the face of Siemens has changed – from the early days to today. 

Changing everyday life with technical innovations and making people's lives better – that's what drove company founder Werner von Siemens. 140 years ago, it got off rather inconspicuously with a retro-fitted horse-drawn carriage. This debut marked the birth of the trolleybus and laid the foundation for a new type of electric mobility for the road. Today, Siemens is continuing along this path: Since 2014, Siemens has been building test tracks for trucks that draw their power from overhead contact wires. The eHighway represents a first step toward the electric freight transport of the future and a completely new area of applications for overhead wires.

Press work at Siemens dates back to the last third of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, however, it became clear that press work – which had been carried out until then by various departments within the company – needed to be reorganized. To put an end to the “dispersion” of press work, a Circular was issued 120 years ago on February 8, 1902, announcing the establishment of a Central Press Office. A good 90 years later, this department – which was now called the Corporate Information Office – became the Corporate Communications Office, known today as Communications (CM).