The company, located in Berlin-Kreuzberg, specialised in manufacturing electrical telegraphs according to Charles Wheatstone's patent of 1837.

1882 saw the opening of the experimental "Elektromote" track, an early trolleybus concept in the Berlin suburb of Halensee.

Siemens & Halske quickly expanded with representatives in Great Britain and Russia as well as its own cable-manufacturing plants at Woolwich and Saint Petersburg.

The company's rise was supported by Werner von Siemens' patent of the electric generator (dynamo) in 1867.

Siemens & Halske also produced large numbers of MG08/15 machineguns deployed for service of the Kaiser Imperial forces in World War I.