Company profile

One company, three divisions, diverse markets

Rohde & Schwarz in brief

Rohde & Schwarz is a global technology group striving for a safer and connected world. With its Test & Measurement, Technology Systems and Networks & Cybersecurity Divisions, the company creates tomorrow's innovations today. The company's leading-edge products and solutions empower industrial, regulatory and military customers to attain technological and digital sovereignty.

Innovation has been part of Rohde & Schwarz since the very beginning. The company founders Dr. Lothar Rohde und Dr. Hermann Schwarz were technological pioneers. With their hands-on entrepreneurial spirit, the two college friends entered the unexplored field of RF engineering. Ninety years later, the company is still pushing technological boundaries – as a successful shaper of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 6G, cloud and quantum technologies.

The privately owned company is known for stability and resilience. Independence is at the core of its entrepreneurial identity. The company finances its growth with its own resources. Because the company does not have to think in terms of quarterly results, it can plan sustainably for the long term. The high added value of Rohde & Schwarz makes the company a reliable, trustworthy and relevant partner for its customers.

The Executive Board is composed of Christian Leicher (President and CEO), Peter Riedel (President and COO) and Andreas Pauly (President and CTO). On June 30, 2023, Rohde & Schwarz had about 13,800 employees worldwide. About 8,700 of them work in Germany. The group generated net revenue of EUR 2.78 billion in the 2022/2023 fiscal year (July to June).

Global player with roots in Germany

Rohde & Schwarz has an extensive sales and service network and is present in about 70 countries, primarily with its own subsidiaries. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Regional hubs in Singapore and Columbia, Maryland coordinate business activities in Asia and North America.

To maintain its high quality standards, flexibility and reliability, the company covers a significant share of the value chain in-house. Most of its products are developed in Germany. In addition, the Asian hub in Singapore uses its resources to develop, produce and market products for the global market. The company also has other R&D locations in some European countries, in the USA and Asia as well as in Africa.

Rohde & Schwarz has always seen the close proximity of R&D and production locations as an advantage. The employees at the German plants in Memmingen and Teisnach as well as the Czech town of Vimperk close to the German border manufacture most of the product range. Smaller plants in Singapore and Malaysia provide manufacturing capacity in close collaboration with R&D at the Asian headquarters.

A number of subsidiaries in Germany and Europe ideally complement the group's solution portfolio in various market segments with their product range and expertise.

Employees are the most valuable asset

Thanks to its highly qualified and motivated employees, Rohde & Schwarz ranks among the technology leaders in all of its markets. That's why Rohde & Schwarz consistently focuses on people. The corporate culture is characterized by the freedom to make decisions, personal responsibility, mutual respect and appreciation. This creates a work environment that allows our employees to indulge their passion for technology and turn their ideas into innovative solutions for the market. Regular recognition with awards such as the "FOCUS TOP National Employer" demonstrate the satisfaction of our employees and the company's attractiveness on the job market.

Another Rohde & Schwarz priority, along with the development of all employees, is to identify young talent at an early stage and prepare them for responsible specialist and management positions. Nationality, gender and organizational boundaries are unimportant, and international employee exchanges between headquarters and the various subsidiaries are well established.

Since its founding, Rohde & Schwarz has prepared thousands of young people for professional careers. The company offers training in professions ranging from electronics technicians and IT specialists to industrial administrative assistants. The company offers combined vocational training/degree programs in various subjects, including computer science, electrical engineering and industrial engineering and management. The "Poly goes UAS" program offered in collaboration with the polytechnic schools in Singapore have a similar structure. It enables students from Asia to combine a bachelor's degree at a German university of applied sciences (UAS) with internships at cooperating "hidden champions" such as Rohde & Schwarz. The Graduate Development Program offered by Rohde & Schwarz North America provides university graduates with opportunities to find their individual career path in the company under the guidance of a mentor.

Test & Measurement Division

No industrial sector can do without electronics. Test and measurement solutions from Rohde & Schwarz are there every step of the way, from R&D to quality assurance, manufacturing and service. The portfolio includes all types of RF T&M equipment and systems as well as complementary products. The company’s focus is on the requirements of the mobile and wireless communications market, a market Rohde & Schwarz has been closely involved with for decades, on the requirements of the automotive industry, whose added value is increasingly based on vehicles‘ electronic features, and on the T&M requirements of the aerospace and defense industry. Manufacturers of entertainment electronics, power electronics, RF components, IT and network equipment as well as medical technology companies and other sectors also benefit from the wide range of products.

Wireless

Rohde & Schwarz has been writing the unprecedented success story of digital mobile communications since its beginnings in the early 1990s. Since then, the technology group has accompanied the introduction of new standards with a comprehensive portfolio of test and measurement solutions.

As a world market and technology leader in RF and microwave testing, Rohde & Schwarz supports the entire product lifecycle of mobile communications devices from design to production. The range of supported technologies encompasses all cellular and non-cellular standards. And the technology group thinks ahead: while focused on the customers’ needs today, 6G is already on the company’s mind and in its labs. Rohde & Schwarz has been closely involved right from the start and actively supports the ongoing fundamental research activities at 6G organizations, universities and research institutes across Europe, North America and Asia. Together with its partners and customers, Rohde & Schwarz is actively adapting its test solutions to support this early research on 6G.

Industry, components & research

Test and measurement solutions from Rohde & Schwarz help component manufacturers, industrial electronics, research institutes and universities reduce time to market while gaining reliable insights into their design and scientific work along the entire value chain. Industrial electronics faces challenges in digital design, power electronics and EMC on a daily basis. 5G and mmWave solutions drive the current demand for advanced RF frontends. Future solutions such as 6G, terahertz applications and quantum technologies are being tested and prepared for real-world use cases. The company’s broad product spectrum covers all performance classes – from basic testers for training purposes to advanced test instruments for R&D labs, quality assurance and production facilities.

The Zurich Instruments subsidiary enables Rohde & Schwarz to position itself as a leading supplier of T&M solutions in the quantum computing field.

Automotive

Ever since the car began its transformation from a simple mode of transport into a highly complex moving communications platform equipped with sensors and sophisticated electronics, the test and measurement needs of vehicle suppliers and manufacturers have steadily grown. Rohde & Schwarz offers advanced test solutions for a wide range of automotive applications including radar, connectivity, infotainment and EMC compliance, effectively covering all electronic components in vehicles. The company supports its customers at all stages of the value chain – from chipsets, components, systems and vehicles; during development, validation and production. Rohde & Schwarz is helping bring fully autonomous driving ever closer.

Aerospace & defense (A&D) testing

In the aerospace & defense industry, innovation and disruptive technologies are a key element of success. To ensure this, the highest requirements need to be met for design, verification and testing of all electronic systems. As a leading manufacturer of high-end test and measurement equipment, we fulfill the stringent requirements of the A&D sectors. Customers benefit from the company’s in-house expertise in military radiocommunications, air traffic control and signal intelligence. The extensive product range includes T&M solutions for generating and analyzing signals up into the mmWave range. The company supports R&D, manufacturing, quality assurance and service. Sustainable product strategies ensure that the products keep up with technological advances throughout the long lifecycles customary in these industries.

Technology Systems Division

For many years, Rohde & Schwarz has been one of the world’s leading suppliers and a reliable partner for customers from the defense, security, critical infrastructure and industry segment. Utilizing its deep technological expertise, the company develops innovative products and solutions that meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Therefore, Rohde & Schwarz enables its international customers to maintain their digital souvereignty. The portfolio covers the complete project life cycle from consulting to system engineering, implementation and aftersales.

Critical infrastructures & networks

Modern societies worldwide depend on the performance of critical infrastructures and networks. Air traffic authorities work together with Rohde & Schwarz to ensure safe air traffic management. Our air traffic control technology CERTIUM® enables the smooth handling of air traffic in 80 countries and more than 300 airports and flight control centers worldwide. Regulators, governmental organizations and industrial operators rely on our comprehensive portfolio of monitoring, analytics and protection solutions to ensure the reliable operation and performance of critical infrastructures and networks.

Secure communications

Today’s armed forces require reliable, interception and jam-resistant voice and data connections. Rohde & Schwarz designs and implements military communications networks which provide highly reliable connectivity for the entire chain of command and all branches of the armed forces. Communications systems from Rohde & Schwarz, a national champion in Germany in this area, are integrated in many types of aircraft, helicopters and naval vessels of all sizes. By offering interoperable and cross-platform SOVERON® and NAVICS® systems, we make a key contribution to the digital sovereignty of customers with security-critical applications.

Government

In an age of growing threats, information superiority is key for governmental and military organizations. The success of any operation, whether in civil security or peacekeeping missions, crucially depends on an up-to-date situational picture. Rohde & Schwarz designs and develops innovative security, surveillance and intelligence solutions that enable governments to enhance their national security and citizen safety. Systems and solutions from Rohde & Schwarz help intelligence services, security authorities and police forces to sustain information superiority through a comprehensive operational picture and actionable insights for investigations.

IP network analytics

The massive increase in internet traffic and expanding technologies, such as cloud computing, the internet of things, 5G, the move to 6G, and increased encryption, are challenging network connectivity and security. To master these challenges granular insights into IP network data are crucial. By providing a better understanding of their network data, the IP Network Analytics software by the Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary ipoque empowers customers to optimize and effectively manage their network data, and ensure the highest connectivity and security. Therefore, it can be embedded in networking, telco and cybersecurity solutions.

Broadcast, amplifiers & media

Rohde & Schwarz supports the media industry along the entire value chain from content creation to transmission. The company has been an innovator in the field of broadcasting for nearly 80 years. Network service providers around the world trust its market-leading TV and radio transmitters. The world’s most powerful solid-state TV transmitter with 106 kW transmit power, for example, is located in One World Trade Center in New York. Numerous film studios and broadcasters, including major Hollywood studios and streaming services use the company’s mastering workstation, storage systems and playout, multiviewing and monitoring software. Rohde & Schwarz solutions use the latest technology and rely on software wherever possible.

Networks & Cybersecurity Division

According to the estimates of reliable organizations, cyberattacks, especially theft of intellectual property, cost the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars each year. But intangible assets are not the only assets that need protection. The large quantities of sensitive public sector data as well as personal data generated by the private sector (e.g. financial sector or health care system) also need to be protected. Rohde & Schwarz secures digital communications with endpoint security and high speed network encryption solutions for the transmission of this data as well as a complete range of components for managing WAN, LAN and WLAN networks.

Network & Security Solutions

Companies, public authorities and organizations need reliable and secure solutions for IT-networks to enable the digitalization of data transfer and business processes. LANCOM Systems, Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary and leading European manufacturer of network infrastructure solutions for business and government authorities, offers a complete portfolio of network components for secure cross-site and local networking. Even complex international network topologies can be easily and efficiently set up and administered via the LANCOM Management Cloud. The main competence areas are site connectivity, IT-network security and network management.

Certified & high-grade crypto solutions

Authorities and organizations with high security requirements demand certified cybersecurity solutions of the highest protection classes. Rohde & Schwarz has been developing highly secure encryption products for defense and other sovereign applications for decades. Its subsidiary Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity works closely with the German Federal Office for Information Security. Our solutions meet the highest national and international security requirements.

Services

Longevity is a fundamental quality feature of Rohde & Schwarz products. At the same time, however, the high pace of innovation in modern communications and security technology means that products have to be regularly adapted to new technological developments. Rohde & Schwarz supports customers by offering comprehensive services throughout all phases of the product and system lifecycle.

A global service network ensures local contacts and short response times. The services offered range from high-quality calibrations, maintenance and repairs to product updates and remote service. In cooperation with its regional service centers as well as its plants and specialized subsidiaries, Rohde & Schwarz also provides a range of other services for system customers. These include system integration, application support, development of customer-specific modules, devices, systems and software, as well as installation and initial operation.

Throughout the product lifecycle, the technology group also supports its customers with service level agreements in the areas of system support, spare parts service, maintenance, training, integrated logistics support, obsolescence management and technical documentation.

Industry is making great efforts to prepare for the fundamental changes accompanying progressive digitalization. Rohde & Schwarz considers this challenge an opportunity to use its expertise to develop innovative service products. The company's remote service solution enables remote maintenance of products over secure internet channels.