Annual financial results 2014: Bosch UK sees solid sales growth

• Positive development across all business sectors
• Sales of £1.9 billion ( 2.3 billion euro ) in 2014 up from £1.8 billion ( 2.2 billion euro ) in 2013
• All business sectors record good performance: industrial technology and power tools sales achieve double digit growth
• Connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) continue to be strategic focus 

London - Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, generated sales of £1.9 billion (2.3 billion euro)* in the UK in 2014, indicating a 2 percent growth in sales revenue compared to the previous year.  “The UK is the second largest market in Europe for the Bosch Group, and we believe the market here offers even more potential for further growth in the coming years. We expect to see an increased demand for our products which are invented to improve quality of life,” said Steffen Hoffmann, president of the Bosch Group in the UK.  In 2015, the company is already experiencing continued growth, especially in the Mobility Solutions sector and Power Tools division.

Including the latest acquisitions of Bosch Siemens Home Appliances (BSH) and ZFLS, the headcount for Bosch in the UK is approximately 5,000 associates across 41 sites.

Positive development across all Bosch business sectors

All business sectors performed well in 2014. The Industrial Technology sector registered double digit growth, owing particularly to the sales of hydraulic drives and packaging machines. The Power Tools division also had a successful year with similar growth. Its innovative product range includes the professional cordless power-drill which is fitted with sensors and helps in limiting the rotary movement of the tool in a kick-back situation, giving greater protection to the user. Additionally, the Home Appliances business registered an impressive double digit sales growth compared to the previous year. With the acquisition of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH (formerly Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH) completed in early 2015, sales of this division will be fully consolidated from 2015 onward.

Bosch also expanded into new business areas in the UK in 2014. The company launched a new division called Bosch Energy and Building Solutions (BEBS) which specialises in solutions for efficient energy usage in commercial and industrial buildings. In 2014, BEBS successfully installed an intelligently controlled system in a college in Bracknell to improve the efficiency of the ventilation system in their sports hall. This resulted in reduction of energy use of the system by 84 percent. Steffen mentioned: “The clever use of this technology, in both new and existing buildings, will help customers save money and also protect the environment at the same time.”

Steffen further said: “We already generate more than 40 percent of our sales with technologies and products that protect the environment and conserve resources.”

Strategic focus on Internet of Things

Connected products and internet-based services and solutions are the key focus areas for the company’s future sales growth. “The key to a successful connectivity business will be to offer products and services that provide real and clear benefits to customers and tangible solutions to people’s daily problems,” said Steffen. “In the UK we are making positive strides towards connected products, for example in our boilers. If you have been away for a long weekend, you can re-start your heating on your way back, via your smart-phone, and it will be warm and cosy by the time you reach your home,” added Steffen.  WAVE, for example, is a room ‘sensor’ unit that is wired to the boiler which reads weather data and trends, allowing consumers to remotely access and control their heating and hot water systems at any time, thereby saving time, money and energy. The robotic lawn mower, Indego, designed and manufactured in the UK, is also equipped with an intelligent navigation system. The sensors in the system map out the garden to decide on the most effective route to mow, avoiding any obstacles.

Steffen further added: “At Bosch, we talk about the “3S” - sensors, software, and services. We are actively focusing on harnessing strength in all of these sectors.” Bosch is the world’s largest manufacturer of micromechanical sensors, more commonly known as MEMS. This year it will manufacture 1.6 billion such sensors. That means nearly 4.5 million sensors will be produced per day, which is 25 percent more than in the previous year.

For Bosch, automated driving is also a significant area of growth. The company is successively launching new driver assistance systems. For example, 2015 will see the start of series production of remote-controlled parking, the traffic jam assist, and an assistance function for evasive manoeuvres and turning against oncoming traffic. Bosch will also continue to invest in vehicle electrification, which includes further development of battery technology. In the UK, Bosch offers vehicle manufacturers connectivity solutions for cars, for example the advanced driver assistance solutions which is a step towards automated driving.

Bosch Group business outlook for 2015

The Bosch Group expects global sales to grow within an exchange rate-adjusted range of 3 to 5 percent in 2015. Speaking at the company’s recent annual press conference in Germany, the Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner said: “Our economic and technological strength in established business fields is enabling us to tap into new market segments.” Web-enabled products and internet-based services are one of the focal points of the company’s future business. “We are driving connectivity forward in all our business sectors and playing an active role in shaping it,” Denner added. In 2014, Bosch launched many new products and connected solutions, including software solutions for smart heating systems and buildings as well as for connected industry and connected mobility. With the complete acquisitions of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH and Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH, Bosch has strengthened its position in the fields of smart homes and automated driving.

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Key facts: 

• Bosch opened its first facility in the UK in 1989 - its first outside Germany
• Bosch began manufacturing in the UK in 1931
• Key UK manufacturing sites include Worcester (gas boilers), Glenrothes (mobile hydraulics) and Stowmarket (home and garden products)
• Bosch's robotic lawn mower, Indego, was fully designed and produced in the Stowmarket plant and was launched in 2013
• Bosch Home Appliances and Worcester, Bosch Group won several Awards in 2014, including Best Buy Awards for 'Best Home Appliance Brand' and 'Best Buy Boiler' 
• Bosch UK has been headquarted in Denham for 30 years 

Contact: Sabrina Mayeen, phone: +44 (0)1895 838813

In the UK, Bosch is a leading global supplier of technology and services and has been present since 1898, when Robert Bosch opened the company’s first office outside Germany. Each one of the Bosch Group’s business sectors has a presence in the UK: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Bosch operates in the UK as Robert Bosch Limited and employs approximately 5,000 associates across its 41 sites. In 2014, Bosch generated revenues in the UK of 2.3 billion euros.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly   360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.co.uk and www.bosch-press.com

You can also find Bosch UK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BoschUK and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoschUK.

*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.

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