Siemens AG is maintaining its plan to sell its Mannesmann Plastics Machinery AG division some day, but has no active deals at this time.
The overall strategy for MPM and its equipment brands has not changed in the half-year since a planned deal to sell them to Apax Partners & Co. Ventures Ltd. fell apart in October, a Siemens spokeswoman said March 28.
``We've always said it doesn't belong to our core business,'' she said. ``We will stick to our plans to divest the group sooner or later.''
A March 25 report by the Dow Jones wire service quoted Siemens Chief Executive Officer Heinrich von Pierer as saying Siemens plans to sell MPM. But the Siemens spokeswoman said that was merely confirmation of the company's strategy, not notice of a pending deal.
Munich-based Siemens bought MPM in 2000 as part of its purchase of Mannesmann AG.