Corporate Background

Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG has stood for quality and precision in test & measurement, broadcasting, secure communications, and radiomonitoring and radiolocation for 77 years. The Munich-based electronics group addresses mobile phone manufacturers and network operators, manufacturers of electronic equipment, and TV networks with innovative solutions and products. The company is a world market leader in EMC test and measurement equipment as well as terrestrial TV transmitters. Rohde & Schwarz is also one of the world’s leading providers in all of its other business fields. The Executive Board is made up of Michael Vohrer (Chairman), Manfred Fleischmann, and Christian Leicher.

Approximately 7400 employees currently generate a net revenue of € 1.2 billion in fiscal year 08/09 (July 08 to June 09). A service and sales network comprising more than 70 subsidiaries and offices worldwide means that customers can always find a Rohde & Schwarz office nearby. Exports now make up about 80% of company business.

Rohde & Schwarz is a high-tech company and thrives on innovations. A good 15 percent of the annual net revenue therefore goes into research & development. To maintain its high quality standards, Rohde & Schwarz keeps virtually the entire added value within the company. Central R&D is located at company headquarters. At the same time, the company maintains development centers in the USA, Korea, China, Singapore, Denmark, France, and the United Kingdom in order to implement customer-oriented applications and to become involved in standardization activities early on. The company’s main production and manufacturing sites are located in Germany, with an additional factory in the Czech Republic.

Rohde & Schwarz ranks among the technological leaders in all of its fields of business. "Our worldwide success is possible only because people with top training and a lot of commitment like to work for us. At Rohde & Schwarz, they can apply their creativity and skills each day on the job, and develop them further," explains Vohrer. Respect for others and open organizational structures make up a distinct part of the corporate culture. Alongside low employee turnover, numerous awards (employee surveys by Capital, Wirtschaftswoche, Great Place to Work) are proof of this.

Business fields

T&M equipment for mobile radio, general-purpose electronics, and microwave

A billion mobile phones are sold each year – half of them developed and produced using T&M equipment from Rohde & Schwarz. The company’s T&M solutions safeguard the quality of mobile radio systems. With the new 3GPP LTE standard, the electronics group currently supports the development of 3G and 4G mobile radio and is the driving force for tomorrow’s communications.

From wireless Internet access via WLAN and WiMAX™ to Bluetooth® headsets for mobile phones, nearly everyone uses mobile radio today. T&M equipment from Rohde & Schwarz plays a major role in the development and production of electronic devices. The company supports manufacturers wherever signals need to be generated or analyzed, high-quality audio equipment measured, or the spectrum analyzed. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz provides complete systems for EMC and field strength measurements – for example, to find electromagnetic interference in automotive electronics.

With regard to the especially high frequencies in microwave T&M, the electronics group demonstrates its expertise with solutions for radio links and radar systems in the aerospace & defense sector. Rohde & Schwarz is also a reliable partner for the development of state-of-the-art applications – for example, systems for satellite communications.

Transmission and T&M equipment for TV and sound broadcasting

Rohde & Schwarz has been active in the field of TV and sound broadcasting for over 50 years. Today, the company has established itself as market leader with a complete range of transmission and T&M equipment. Whether in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, or Taiwan – Rohde & Schwarz sets up nationwide networks for digital and mobile TV around the world. The company’s combined know-how from broadcasting and mobile radio also yields valuable synergies. Moreover, the company is a key partner for manufacturers of broadcast equipment: Solutions from Rohde & Schwarz cover all T&M requirements in the development and production of satellite receivers, HDTV sets, or LCD monitors.

Secure communications for armed forces, government authorities, and industry

Security organizations and the military must be able to exchange information efficiently and securely, also in international operations. Rohde & Schwarz supplies interoperable and powerful communications systems to help ensure the prompt coordination of civil, government, and military forces during missions or in the event of a crisis. Using modern encryption methods, the company’s solutions fulfill the highest of security standards at the national and international level. Software defined radios ensure the greatest possible flexibility and are in operation around the world. In addition, more than 200 international and national airports use Rohde & Schwarz radios for air traffic control. The Rohde & Schwarz Professional Mobile Radio GmbH subsidiary has placed TETRA radio networks into operation in over 30 countries, including those in the Moscow metro, at the Panama Canal, and at large sporting events such as the Asian Games in Qatar. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz SIT GmbH develops and produces crypto products and systems for industry, government offices, the German Armed Forces, and NATO. The latest product is the TopSec Mobile, which allows secured mobile communications via mobile phones with Bluetooth® capability.

Frequency management and radiolocation for internal and external security

User needs for mobile, wireless information exchange are drastically increasing. At the same time, however, the frequency spectrum is limited. Mobile telephony, navigation systems, broadcasting, and television must operate smoothly worldwide. Rohde & Schwarz therefore develops and produces stationary as well as mobile systems for detecting, locating, and analyzing radiocommunications signals. For example, the company is currently setting up a nationwide system for the Czech Republic that automatically monitors the use of the frequency spectrum. By offering receivers, direction finders, signal analyzers, antennas, and customized systems, Rohde & Schwarz has been a reliable partner in the area of public safety and national security for many decades.

Service & support

With 24-hour support worldwide and personal service contacts in over 70 countries, Rohde & Schwarz is present around the world. The company stands for high quality, preventive service, and on-time delivery – covering every requirement from calibration to application support.