exiderdome, a traveling technology expo and learning laboratory presented by Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. will begin the U.S. leg of its world tour in July 2008.

Alternatively called The World of Automation, exiderdome brings the latest energy and automation technology directly to Siemens customers in the manufacturing and industrial facilities segments. With nearly 10,000 square feet of space in a two-story modular building, exiderdome gives customers and prospects an up close view of the latest technology, while creating a forum for exchanging ideas they can use to build their business.

exiderdome surrounds attendees with a unique and compelling vision of manufacturing’s future. Each day at exiderdome, Siemens customers will be offered a wide range of training and other learning events on the latest thinking in security, energy and the environment, innovation, productivity and other key business challenges. The learning events will be led by Siemens executives and outside experts such as industry analysts, futurists, academics and dignitaries.

Siemens expects more than 9,000 customers and potential customers – ranging from plant and building engineers to top executives of major industrial concerns – to visit exiderdome during its nine stops in major U.S manufacturing centers between July 2008 and May 2009.

On a global tour since 2005, exiderdome has consistently wowed visitors with its size, scale and technology. The building itself includes seven product rooms – each featuring a different family of technologies – and an eighth room that will feature a global overview of Siemens technologies. Additionally, two central atriums will be used for receptions, training sessions, multi-media presentations and thought leadership events. Conference rooms and an executive lounge complete the building’s facilities.

Four atrium walls – nearly 100 linear feet – rotate, offering whiteboards for class rooms, red walls for daily events and mirrors for a full-wall multi-media display. The cutting edge video technology can project 625 megabytes – as much data as 25,000 written pages – per second.

Comprised of 55 containers, the building takes up half a football field. It is air tight, water tight and, in order for the rotating atrium walls to operate properly, must be perfectly level. For the first four tour stops, exiderdome will travel by barge. A 55-truck convoy will move exiderdome to its final five destinations.

exiderdome was created after the successful conclusion of the exider train tour in 2004. The 12-car train visited more than 100 cities in 24 countries during its three-year world tour. In the U.S., exider train entertained Siemens customers and prospects in 10 cities.

exiderdome began its world tour in 2005 in Shanghai. Since then, it has appeared across Asia, as well as Russia, Mexico and Canada. When exiderdome finishes its U.S. leg, it will continue its world tour in South America.