Robert Bosch GmbH is a German company which was started in 1886 by Robert Bosch.
Bosch businesses include:
Bosch is a leading global supplier of automotive and industrial technology and of consumer goods and building technology. The Bosch Group comprises some 270 subsidiary companies, of which more than 230 are located outside Germany. The objectives of the Bosch Group's activity are sustained profitable growth and the safeguarding of its independence which allows it to pursue long-term strategies. In 2004, worldwide sales of the Bosch Group came to 40 billion euros. The number of associates employed around the globe in the three business sectors Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, and Consumer Goods and Building Technology in 2004 rose by almost 11,000 to approximately 242,000.
The headquarters of Bosch is in Stuttgart. Franz Fehrenbach became chairman on 2003-07-01.
Ownership
The Robert Bosch Stiftung ("Robert Bosch Foundation") holds 92% of the shares of "Robert Bosch GmbH", but no voting rights. The Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG ("Robert Bosch Industrial Trust KG") (old members of the company management, agents of the Bosch family and other eminent people from the industry such as Hans Peter Stihl (Stihl powertools)) have 93% of the voting rights, but no shares. The remaining shares and voting-rights are held by the descendants of the company founder Robert Bosch.
Arrangement of the company
Automotive engineering
Bosch's largest business sector is the automotive technology sector, which generated about 63% of the revenue in 2004. This business sector comprises : Gasoline Systems and Diesel Systems with the core-products injection and motor management, Chassis Systems Brakes, Chassis Systems Control,Energy and Auxiliary Systems (ex. alternators, starter motors), Car Multimedia (Brand: Blaupunkt), Car Electronics (control units and semiconductor elements) and Automotive Exchange (spare parts). Bosch was the world's largest automotive supplier in terms of sales for the first time in 2004. In this year, the business sector generated sales of 25.3 billion euros. Aside from the healthy state of the global automotive business, the high demand for modern diesel systems had a positive effect. The share of diesel engines in newly registered cars in western Europe rose to 48% in 2004. Bosch has played a major role in shaping this trend. With third-generation common-rail technology, Bosch has the most advanced system on today's market, with additional improvements in performance, consumption, and eco-friendliness. Bosch is also developing a particulate filter, whose production will start in 2006. Ten years ago, Bosch was the first supplier to bring the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the market. Studies around the world have proved that this safety system can help significantly reduce the number of accidents. In Europe, the share of newly registered cars featuring ESP reached 36 percent in 2004.
Industrial Technology
Bosch's subsidiary Bosch Rexroth is one of the leading suppliers in the world market for industrial technology. Through this division, Bosch supplies all the essential technologies for driving, controlling, and moving machines, Thesse technologies serve Bosch's two core markets – factory automation and mobile hydraulics. Bosch's packaging technology division plans, designs, manufactures. and installs complete packaging lines for manufacturers of confectionery, food, and similar products. Bosch is the largest supplier of packaging technology.
Consumer goods and power tools
Bosch caters to the areas of consumer goods and building technology with its power tool, thermotechnology, and security systems, as well as with its household appliances business within the BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH joint venture.
With its brands Bosch, Skil, and Dremel, Bosch is one of the world's largest manufacturers of power tools, with a broad product range for the building trade, industry, and do-it-yourselfers. The product range also includes accessories such as drill bits and saw blades, as well as gardening appliances. In 2003, Bosch was the first manufacturer to introduce modern lithium-ion technology for cordless power tools. The Ixo cordless drill/driver featuring this technology was the best-selling power tool of 2004 in leading European countries. This technology is gradually being transferred to more and more cordless tools.
In thermotechnology, Bosch has meanwhile advanced to become one of Europe's top manufacturers of heating units and hot water appliances.
BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, in which Bosch and Siemens each hold a 50 % share, is one of the world's top three companies in the household appliances industry. In Germany and western Europe, BSH is the market leader. Its portfolio includes the principal brand names Bosch and Siemens, the Gaggenau, Neff, Thermador, Constructa, and ufesa brands, and a further six regional brands. Its competitors include Viking Range Corporation, Sub-Zero Refrigerator, Wolf Appliance (a division of Sub-Zero Refrigerator), Dacor, and Miele.
Bosch is a leading supplier of electronic security systems.
History
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bosch_GmbH under GFDL
