Jobs boost for city as Siemens relocates divisional headquarters

Siemens has announced that its Sheffield operation will become the new UK corporate headquarters of its Siemens VAI business.

The German-owned industrial group has decided to move its corporate functions from Christchurch in Dorset to Sheffield.

Siemens VAI already employs around 200 people at its premises on the Sheffield Business Park.

When the move is complete, the Sheffield operation will have 280 staff.

The operation supplies equipment to steel manufacturers in China, South Korea and India, and, as a result of this move, the Sheffield operation will also provide services to the global aluminium producing industry.

Alfred Piesinger, UK managing director of Siemens VAI, said: "In addition to the Sheffield operation's recent business track record, the power and co-operative spirit of the local technical community were a major factor in this decision.

"The professional and academic strength of this region will serve Siemens VAI's business directly and our strengthened presence here also provides a means to access the region's metals technology cluster for the wider Siemens group."

Siemens VAI has links with Sheffield dating back to the Davy Brothers company founded in Lady's Bridge in 1830.

Following several changes of ownership and name over the years, the Siemens Corporation bought the current business from the Austrian-owned VAI in 2005, and the group employs around 9,000 people in 180 countries.

City development company Creativesheffield has provided relocation support to a number of key Siemens staff through its partner organisation, Relocate 2 Sheffield. Although a number of staff will be moving to Sheffield from Dorset, there will also be a "significant number" of posts to be filled locally.

Steve Wainwright, investor development manager at Creative Sheffield, said: "This is a great vote of confidence for Sheffield."