Rohde & Schwarz tops 2bn Euro revenues for first time

29th October 2018

Mick Elliott

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In its 2017/2018 fiscal year (July to June), Rohde & Schwarz surpassed the €2bn revenue mark for the first time. At €2.04 billion, revenue was 6.7% higher than in the previous year, while incoming orders rose by 7.4 percent to €2.21BN. The employee count worldwide climbed from around 10,500 to 11,500 by June 30, 2018.

The company says its decision to focus on key, high-growth markets of the future with its four strategic pillars – test and measurement, broadcast and media, aerospace/defence/ security, and networks and cybersecurity – is paying off.

By providing test and measurement solutions for mobile and wireless applications, Rohde & Schwarz is playing an active role in the advancement of future technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and the fifth generation of mobile communications (5G).

The 5G system is also one of the technical prerequisites for autonomous vehicles. This has led to a very pleasing trend in the automotive market that benefits Rohde & Schwarz. T

he automotive industry's substantial R&D expenditures for driver assistance systems and autonomous driving translate into rising demand for test and measurement solutions.

The group already offers a broad portfolio of solutions in this area, including test solutions for V2X, radar, eCall, connectivity and automotive buses.

In the aerospace/defence/security business field, the major development efforts in recent years have borne fruit in all areas. Rohde & Schwarz body scanners now define the market standard for passenger screening at many German and international airports, a development that is reflected in the growing number of airports using them.

The R&S Ardronis drone detection and monitoring solution for commercial drones has also established itself on the market. These drones can pose a security risk to air traffic and other areas in need of protection. R&S Ardronis is part of the GUARDION drone defence system, a cooperation between ESG, Rohde & Schwarz and Diehl Defence.

Armed forces all over the world are preparing for the comprehensive digitization of their communications equipment. Rohde & Schwarz has developed the R&S SDAR, an advanced airborne radio. The German Federal Ministry of Defence placed an order to equip 50 command vehicles with the joint radio system of the German armed forces (SVFuA).

The software defined radio is an important component in the D-LBO project, a major initiative to digitise the land-based operations of the German armed forces in the next few years.

At the beginning of the new fiscal year, Rohde & Schwarz increased its stake in LANCOM Systems, a leading German manufacturer of network solutions for business customers and the public sector, to 100%. Together, the company and Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity form the new Networks and Cybersecurity division.

Founder Ralf Koenzen will continue to manage LANCOM and also head the new division. This acquisition brings the group a big step closer to its goal of positioning itself as a leading European provider of secure network solutions for business customers and the public sector.