Our Partnership History with Siemens

As we head into our 25-year milestone, we are highlighting our history with some of the partners to whom we owe much success. Siemens is one of those partners. Eleven years ago, we did no business with Siemens. Today, approximately 55% of our projects are Siemens-based.

This article originally appeared in our May 2016 Patti Perspective

Patti Engineering first became affiliated with Siemens in 2005* when we started working with Detroit Diesel. Their standard at the time was Siemens and our engineers really loved the power of their control platform.

In 2009, we became a Solution Partner. Some partner programs can be best described as “a plaque and a prayer.” This is not how Siemens program works. Siemens maintains very high standards on the requirements to become a solution partner. They require a certain number of certified engineers, make sure that you are doing quality work, and make sure that you represent Siemens in the best light. When you choose a Solution Partner, you know you will be receiving quality work.

Patti Engineering has the second most certified integrators of any Siemens Solution Partner. In fact, every Patti Engineer who has taken the very rigorous Siemens certification exam has passed on the first try. (No pressure on our engineers who take the exam in the future!)

“When you think of Siemens, you think of innovation,” said Sam Hoff, CEO of Patti Engineering. “Some of our favorite projects of all time are our conversion projects where we have been able to modernize customers by upgrading their legacy control equipment. These projects include our recent project in Texas at Caterpillar and our work with our innovative Customer of the Year, FCA Transmissions and Casting Division in Kokomo, Indiana.”

We have invested in our relationship with Siemens because it is a win-win. We know we are providing excellent technology to our customers and our customers know that we will implement the technology reliably. Approximately 55% of all projects we have done in the last 5 years have been Siemens-based. Beyond our Solution Partner certification, we are part of the Solution Partner advisory council which helps advise Siemens in regards to the Solution Partner Program.

We are also part of the Siemens “Drive 63” partner program which is a select partner program concentrating on Automotive Manufacturing. We have helped Siemens launch and build the Automotive Manufacturing Forum which meets every couple of months after work for networking, cocktails, food, and content for Detroit-based Siemens users.

Participating in events with Siemens gives us a chance to see their innovation up close and it allows us to see how end users are innovating. That’s why we are the only Solution Partner that is participating in all three of Siemens major industry events this year: Manufacturing in America (Ford Field, Detroit, March 23-34); Siemens Oil and Gas Innovations Conference (Minute Maid Park, Houston, March 30-31); Siemens Automation Summit (Aria Resort, Las Vegas, June 27-30).

This year, the United States was chosen as the partner country for the Hannover Messe, or Hannover Fair, in Germany. Siemens brought a delegation from the US, and Sam and Patti Hoff were part of that delegation. It was their second trip to the Hannover Fair- they were also invited to attend with Siemens in 2011. “Siemens were great hosts” said Sam Hoff. “The itinerary included some great speakers, including Penny Pritzker, who sits on President Obama’s cabinet as the US Secretary of Commerce.”

“You cannot imagine the sheer size of the Hannover Fair until you experience it for yourself!” Sam said. “The trip included a private tour of Siemens booth at the fair. One of the most interesting things in the booth was the additive manufacturing (aka 3D printing) and how it has helped to create parts that cannot be manufactured in any other way.

*Fun Fact: Although our history with Siemens officially began in 2005, Sam did a project back in the early 1990s adding gantries using Siemens S5 PLCs at Lansing Engine Plant, which built the quad-4 GM engines.

Read our Spotlight on Raj Batra, President of Siemens USA Digital Factory