Robert Bosch GmbH

Robert-Bosch-Platz 1
Postfach 10 60 50
D-70049 Stuttgart
Germany
Telephone: +(49)7118110
Toll free: (877) 509-5970 (U.S. only)
Fax: +(49)711811-6630
Web site:http://www.bosch.com

Private Company
Incorporated: 1886
Employees: 196,880
Sales: DM 61.7 billion (2000)
NAIC: 326122 Plastics Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing; 326199 All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing; 327112 Vitreous China, Fine Earthenware, and Other Pottery Product Manufacturing; 333991 Power-Driven Hand Tool Manufacturing; 33422 Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing; 336312 Gasoline Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing; 336322 Other Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing; 33634 Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing; 33635 Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing; 334514 Totalizing Fluid Meter and Counting Device Manufacturing; 551112 Offices of Other Holding Companies

One of the ten largest companies in Germany, Robert Bosch GmbH is best known as a worldwide supplier of automotive equipment, with world leadership in fuel injection systems and antilock brakes. The company has also developed into a world leader in various other areas, including communications and radio technology, traffic management systems, power tools, household appliances, thermotechnology, automation technology, and packaging machines. Bosch has operations in more than 50 countries on every continent through its subsidiaries and associated companies. Since 1964, 92 percent of the company has been owned by the Robert Bosch Foundation (the Bosch family owns the remaining 8 percent), which runs the company on the basis of nonprofit principles and uses its share of company profits to fund various philanthropic programs.

Early History

The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 by a highly motivated, self-educated electrical engineer named Robert Bosch. More talented as an administrator than as an engineer, Robert Bosch gained a reputation for innovation in industrial relations. He instituted an eight-hour workday (which was uncommon at the time) and paid employees at a higher standard rate in the belief that superior working conditions would encourage better employee performance. Bosch readily acknowledged ability and creativity in his employees, assigning the most talented among them to positions in the most promising areas. He also recognized the need for a diverse, high-quality product line as the most direct means to growth.

Bosch entered the automotive industry in the early 1890s, when the company introduced a hand-crank motor starter. Near the dawn of the 20^th century, on the strength of the growing American automobile market, Bosch became the world leader in ignition systems. By 1914, 70 percent of the company’s sales were in the United States. The outbreak that year of World War I resulted in an American trade embargo against Germany. Bosch was prevented from doing any more business in the United States and forced to rely solely on European sales under a wartime economy.

When the war ended in 1918 the German economy was in a state of complete disarray. The nation fell into a serious economic depression during the 1920s, which caused many businesses to fail. Bosch, however, managed to remain in business, partly as a result of its diversification and good management. As the economic situation stabilized, public discontent in Germany began to rise. Bosch, which expanded modestly during this period, purchased the radio manufacturer Blaupunkt-Werke in 1933. That same year the Nazis under Adolf Hitler seized power and initiated a new economic order characterized by industrial growth and rearmament.

The company enjoyed several periods of strong growth during the 1930s, primarily due to strong demand from German industry and the military for electronic and mechanical products. The company’s growth necessitated a new form of organization, and in 1937 it was incorporated as a private limited company. German military adventurism and territorial expansion precipitated World War II, which again eliminated foreign markets for companies such as Bosch. Robert Bosch died in 1942, during the height of Germany’s success in the war, and was succeeded by Hans Walz. As outlined in Robert Bosch’s will, ownership of the company eventually in 1964 was to be transferred in large part to the Robert Bosch Foundation, with the balance remaining in the hands of the Bosch family.

Postwar Rebuilding

For Germany, the remainder of the war was characterized by severe shortages of all kinds and extensive war damage. At the end of the war Germany was partitioned into occupied Soviet and Western Powers’ zones (later East and West Germany). The more heavily industrialized western zone, where Bosch was located, was in ruins. Bosch reorganized and its factories were rebuilt. The American market, however, remained closed to Bosch after the war, again forcing the company to strengthen its connections with smaller European manufacturers. New efforts were made to develop more advanced products, and by 1949 Bosch perfected a mechanical fuel injection system.

West Germany was “readmitted” to the world market system in the early 1950s, during which time Bosch became a major supplier of automotive products to foreign manufacturers. During the 1950s the consumer automobile market experienced strong growth, due this time to an expanding world economy and new levels of prosperity.

Also during the 1950s, Bosch began a cautious program of long-term diversification. For example, household appliances were added to the company’s product line in 1952 with the introduction of Bosch kitchen appliances. In 1958 washing machines were added, then dishwashers in 1964. In 1952 Bosch also began to manufacture hydraulic equipment and do-it-yourself power tools.

Hans Walz retired in 1962 after 20 years as the company’s chief executive. He was replaced by Hans Merkle, a self-taught and apprenticed engineer and businessman, known for his ability to predict changing market conditions. Merkle recognized pollution control and fuel economy as key factors in future automobile sales. Under Merkle’s leadership, Bosch began to devote more of its resources to the development of electronic products, and later produced a new fuel injection system that promoted a smoother running engine and reduced fuel consumption.

Potential competitors of Bosch, including Siemens and Bendix, largely ignored the potential of fuel injection systems while Bosch continually perfected new and better versions. When strict new antipollution regulations were enacted in the United States, automobiles equipped with Bosch fuel injectors, such as the Volkswagen Beetle, became extremely popular. Soon afterward, other European manufacturers, including Daimler-Benz and Volvo, decided to integrate the Bosch system into their product line. When the 1973 OPEC oil crisis caused dramatic increases in the price of petroleum, the highly efficient Bosch fuel injection systems became virtually indispensable.

Expansion and Diversification in the 1970s and 1980s

Throughout the 1970s Bosch made moves to expand its operations overseas, moving into Japan and Malaysia in 1972, Turkey in 1973, and Spain in 1978. By the mid-1970s, Bosch had made strong progress in regaining its prewar market share in the United States. Bosch purchased a plant in Charleston, Virginia, in 1974 to produce fuel injection systems in the United States. The company also acquired a 25 percent share of American Microsystems, a manufacturer of integrated circuitry, and a 9.3 percent stake in Borg-Warner, which was well established in the area of microcircuitry. Bosch planned to apply technologies developed by these two companies to produce even more advanced automotive systems.

The Charleston plant was subsequently expanded three times. Through the late 1970s fuel injection systems, Bosch’s primary product, became the most important electronic component to automobile manufacturers. By 1984, nearly half of the cars sold in the U.S. were equipped with fuel injection systems.

In the early 1980s several other manufacturers initiated efforts to reduce Bosch’s share of the worldwide automotive components market. Marcus Bierich, who was named chief executive officer of Bosch in 1984, reacted quickly to these threats by expanding the company’s product line and diversifying its operations.

One of the most important products to emerge from this new initiative was ABS, the antilock braking system. This device prevented brakes from locking by means of an electronic gauge wired to the brake pedal. In addition to being an important safety feature, it made a number of other wires and cables redundant, allowing physical space for “cruise control” and other features. By 1985 the Bosch ABS system was standard on many European automobiles and had also been introduced on American luxury cars. Despite competition in this area from Alfred Teves (a subsidiary of ITT) and Honda, Bosch developed additional facilities to build ABS systems in order to meet the anticipated increased demand.

Company Perspectives:

We want satisfied customers. That is why the highest quality of our products and services is one of our major corporate objectives. This also applies to the quality of the work carried out in our name by our trading partners, and in their sales and service organization. Safe, clean, and economical: these are the guiding principles behind our work to manufacture products and systems which satisfy the ever higher demands with respect to safety, environment, and consumption.

Following the success of ABS, Bosch was also involved in the development of electronic traction control, which involved sensors to measure wheel speed and adjust the speed as necessary to keep the car under control. Bosch began production of its first traction control system in 1986.

As car features grew more sophisticated, Bosch continued to develop systems to aid the driver. A new device called the digital trip meter calculated the course and direction of a car by measuring heat levels of the terrain and posting a computerized map on the driver’s dashboard. In addition to making the driver aware of the most efficient available routes, the meter could also detect traffic jams. The product was introduced in 1989 as the Travelpilot navigation system. A more sophisticated version using CD-ROMs and providing data to the driver via voice and symbols was later introduced in 1995 on Japanese luxury-model vehicles.

Fierce competition and a 1984 metalworkers’ strike seriously affected the company’s production for several months and weakened its lead over competitors. For virtually the first time, clients were forced to evaluate alternative suppliers.

The 1980s also saw Bosch enter the telecommunications market through the acquisition of or the purchase of stakes in various companies involved in the manufacturing of equipment and the development of systems, including Telefonbau und Normalzeit, a German telecommunications company, and Telenorma, the exclusive supplier of communications systems to Bundespost, the national postal and telecommunications group. In 1989 these various activities were consolidated with the creation of the Bosch Telecom Business Sector.

1990s and Beyond

In addition to expansion into the newly merged areas of former East Germany, Bosch continued to expand internationally in the early 1990s. The opened markets of Eastern Europe were one targeted area, as marketing operations were established in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in 1992; in Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Belarus in 1993; and in Romania in 1994. On the manufacturing side, two Czech Republic-based joint ventures were formed in 1992 to produce automotive equipment. In the Asia-Pacific region, Bosch entered into a joint venture to form Korea Automotive Motor Corp. in South Korea in 1993; was involved in another South Korean joint venture the following year, Korea Mechanics and Electronics Corporation; established a sales company in the Philippines in 1995; and entered into no less than six joint ventures in China also in 1995. Finally, in the United States in 1992, Bosch joined Penske Transportation in setting up a joint venture called Diesel Technology Company to develop and produce injector technology for diesel engines used by heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

Bosch continued to refine its electronic automotive components in the 1990s, introducing the Vehicle Dynamics Control system in 1994, designed to improve the stability of vehicles in critical situations by detecting all rotational movements of the car around its vertical axis. The company also entered into the increasingly lucrative market for airbags through a joint venture with Morton International called United Airbag Systems. Bosch was contributing its expertise in electronic components by developing the triggering devices for side-impact airbags the venture was developing.

Despite continuing its long tradition of innovation, Bosch entered a difficult period in the early 1990s under the combined pressure of depressed markets for automobiles and increased competition. Although known for the high quality of its products, Bosch had also over the years developed a reputation for high prices and inflexibility in its relations with its clients. Automakers were increasingly turning to other cheaper and more cooperative suppliers for parts they used to purchase from Bosch or manufacturing the parts themselves. The latter occurred in 1991 when General Motors suddenly cut in half what was previously a standing order for fuel injection parts. Also contributing to Bosch’s difficulties was its telecommunications business which, although profitable and already contributing nearly a quarter of overall sales, was finding it increasingly difficult to compete against the giants of the industry—Siemens, Alcatel, and Northern Telecom.

Key Dates:

1886:

Company is founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart.

1887:

Construction of first Bosch low-voltage magneto for stationary gas-driven engines.

1909:

First production outside Germany starts in U.S.

1927:

Production of fuel injection pumps for diesel engines begins.

1928:

First Bosch power tools are introduced.

1933:

Production of household appliances begins.

1933:

Company purchases Blaupunkt-Werke.

1937:

Bosch is incorporated as a private limited company.

1942:

Robert Bosch dies and is succeeded by Hans Walz.

1951:

Bosch begins developing gasoline injection pumps for vehicle engines.

1952:

Bosch begins production of kitchen appliances and do-it-yourself power tools.

1957:

Starts production of car transistor radios.

1962:

Hans Walz retires as chief executive and is replaced by Hans Merkle.

1978:

Company launches the world’s first series-produced antilock braking system.

1984:

Marcus Bierich is named chief executive officer.

1986:

Bosch begins production of its first traction control system.

1989:

Bosch introduces the vehicle navigation system.

1989:

Company creates the Bosch Telecom Business Sector servicing telecommunications and communications systems.

1995:

Company launches an electronic stability program.

2000:

Bosch introduces the first electrohydraulic brake system.

In response to these challenges, Bosch in late 1991 instituted a cost-cutting program and process improvement initiative, and also cut its workforce by about 8,000. The company continued to struggle, however, as market conditions failed to improve, leading in 1993 to the company’s first sales decline since 1967. At the same time, net income fell every year from 1989 to 1993, overall going from DM$626 million in 1989 to DM 426 million in 1993. Further moves were taken in 1993 to turn the company around, including the elimination of 13,000 additional jobs and the institution of team-oriented work groups.

The next two years showed modest improvements for Bosch as sales increased 6.2 percent in 1994 and 4 percent in 1995, while net income increased to DM 512 million in 1994 and DM 550 million in 1995. Even if not completely recovered, the company was feeling healthy enough by early 1996 to make a $1.5 billion acquisition of Allied Signal Inc.’s hydraulic- and antilock-braking business for light vehicles. The purchase enabled Bosch for the first time to provide its customers with complete brake systems, and as one of the world’s leaders in the field.

The size of this latest acquisition confirmed Bosch’s commitment to its core automotive components business and also raised the question of whether the company might divest itself of some assets in order to invest further in the core. The most likely candidate was the telecommunications technology sector, given its struggle to secure a foothold. Even if it retained its diversified portfolio, Bosch’s future, like its past, would certainly be tied most closely to automobile components.

Strategic Growth in the New Millennium

Following the acquisition of Allied Signal’s brake operations, Bosch continued to shape its global positioning through strategic acquisitions and divestments. Its acquisitions included Zexel Corporation (known since 2000 as Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation), which strengthened its position as the world’s second-largest supplier of automotive components. In 1999 Bosch initiated a sell-off of the majority of its telecommunications and mobile telephone holdings from its Communications Technology division. Considering North America its most important foreign market, Bosch bolstered its U.S. presence with the acquisition of Vermont American Corporation. At this time more Bosch employees worked in the U.S. than anywhere else outside Germany.

Sales continued to increase during the second half of the 1990s, and by 2000 had reached DM 61,717 billion, up 50 percent from 1996. Foreign sales increased steadily as well throughout the decade; in 1992, they accounted for just under half of total global sales; by 2001, they accounted for nearly three-quarters. While sales across the board were up, though, a corresponding increase in profits proved elusive.

By 2000, its largest business lines consisted of fuel injection technology for internal combustion engines (diesel and gasoline), systems for active and passive vehicle safety (antilock braking systems, electronic stability programs), electrical machines (starters, alternators, small-power motors), and mobile communications products (car radios, navigation systems, and driver information systems). Its new electrohydraulic brake system, introduced in 2000, was the first fully electronically controlled braking system.

Bosch’s three internal divisions enjoyed growth into 2000. Its Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, and Consumer Goods and Building Technology divisions respectively Generaled 71.2 percent, 3.8 percent, and 23.6 percent of the total sales. The surviving components of the Communications Technology division, including security technology, aerospace engineering, and broadband networks, Generaled 1.4 percent of the total sales.

The success of the Automotive Technology division was primarily driven by strong demand for its diesel direct-injection systems in Western Europe. Sales of antilock braking systems, electronic stability programs, and vehicle navigation systems also increased in 2000. Automotive product lines included gasoline, diesel, chassis, and energy systems; and body and automotive electronics. Through its Blaupunkt-Werke subsidiary, Bosch offered the latest in multimedia gadgets for vehicles (together, they outfitted a Volkswagen minivan with a 20-speaker stereo, twin earphones, and video screens on the backs of all four headrests). Bosch’s motto “Safe-Clean-Economical” pinpointed their continuing efforts to meet market demand for greater safety and further reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. Despite consistent, strong sales, though, escalating start-up costs for new products and relentless price competition prevented the Automotive Technology division from generating corresponding strong profits.

The Industrial Technology division, which focused on automation and packaging, was bolstered with the acquisition of Mannesmann Rexroth AG in 2001, forming Bosch Rexroth, a wholly owned subsidiary that included industrial hydraulics, pneumatics, assembly and linear technology, electric motors and controls, service and mobile hydraulics. Combined, they targeted a 2001 sales volume of about DM 8 billion.

The Consumer Goods and Building Technology division consisted of Bosch’s power tools, household appliances, and thermotechnology, as well as the security technology, aerospace engineering, and broadband networks still in existence from the prior Communications Technology division. Its strong power tool brands, Bosch, Skil, and Dremel, made it a leading global manufacturer of power tools.

Promoting innovation remained a top priority at the company, and Bosch invested heavily in research and development, striving to translate innovative strength into more satisfactory profits. In 2000, it invested nearly DM 4 billion, with nearly three-quarters going to automotive research. In Germany alone, Bosch registered 2,400 patents.

Its domestic workforce of 91,000 in 2000 constituted 46 percent of its worldwide headcount. To meet changing conditions and challenges in the marketplace, Bosch launched an internal improvement program that focused on two main threads: Time to Market and Customer Focus. The company aimed to accelerate and improve internal processes while complementing product quality and delivery fulfillment with improved customer service and orientation. Their program motto, “BeQIK,” emphasized quality (Q), innovation (I), and focus on the customer—based on the German spelling of customer (K).

Bosch enjoyed strong growth in a favorable world economy through 2000. Against a backdrop of a slowing economy, it expected slower internal growth and a drop in sales, especially in North America. However, it expected to be pleasantly buoyed through the slowdown by sustained sales of its diesel direct-injection system, the production of other innovative, new products, improved customer relations, and sales Generaled by its newest acquisition, Rexroth.

Principal Subsidiaries

Blaupunkt GmbH; BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH (50%); Bosch Telecom GmbH; BT Magnet-Technologie GmbH (50%); Hawera Probst GmbH; Robert Bosch Fahrzeugelektrik Eisenach GmbH; ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (50%); NV Robert Bosch SA (Belgium); Robert Bosch Produktie NV (Belgium); Robert Bosch A/S (Denmark); Robert Bosch SA (France); Atco-Qualcast Limited (U.K.); Worcester Group plc (U.K.); Robert Bosch SpA (Italy); Robert Bosch BV (Netherlands); Van Doorne’s Transmissie BV (Netherlands); Robert Bosch A/S (Norway); Robert Bosch AG (Austria); Blaupunkt Auto-Radio Portugal Lda (Portugal); Vulcano Termo-Domesticos SA (Portugal); Robert Bosch AB (Sweden); Robert Bosch Internationale Beteiligungen AG (Switzerland; 90%); Robert Bosch AG (Switzerland); Scintilla AG (Switzerland; 85%); Robert Bosch Espana SA (Spain); Robert Bosch spol.s.r.o. (Czech Republic); Bosch Diesel spol.s.r.o. (Czech Republic); Bosch Sanayi ve Ticaret AS (Turkey); Robert Bosch Ltda (Brazil); Associated Fuel Pump Systems Corporation (United States; 50%); Automotive Electronic Control Systems, Inc. (United States; 51%); Robert Bosch Corporation (United States); S-B Power Tool Company (United States); Vermont American Corporation (United States); Motor Industries Co. Ltd. (India; 54%); Bosch KK (Japan); Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation (Japan; 51%); Bosch Electronics Corporation (Japan); Korea Automotive Motor Corporation (Korea); Robert Bosch Korea Mechanics & Electronics Ltd. (Korea); Robert Bosch (Malaysia); Robert Bosch (South East Asia; Singapore); Robert Bosch (Australia).

Principal Divisions

Automotive Technology; Industrial Technology; Consumer Goods and Building Technology.

Principal Competitors

Hughes Electronics Corporation; Siemens AG; TRW, Inc.

Further Reading

Blau, John R., “As Bosch Gets Tougher, Will Customers Get Going?,” Electronic Business, January 8, 1990, pp. 81–85.

Bowley, Graham, “Bosch Warns on High German Labour Costs,” The Financial Times, May 15, 1997, p. 32.

——, “Growth Outside Germany Helps Bosch to Treble,” The Financial Times, May 15, 1998, p. 29.

“Braking,” Economist, April 25, 1992, pp. 75–76.

Brooke, Lindsay, “No Strong Recovery,” Automotive Industries, December 1991, pp. 36–38.

Chew, Edmund, “Bosch Introduces New Brake System,” Automotive News, November 20, 2000, p. J22.

——, “Bosch Will Lose Its Grip on Engines,” Automotive News, February 14, 2000, p. 320.

Fuhrman, Peter, “Euro-Thrash,” Forbes, July 22, 1991, pp. 66–67.

Heuss, Theodor, Robert Bosch, His Life and Achievements, New York: Henry Holt, 1994, p. 612.

Higgins, Amy, and Sherri Koucky, “Bosch and Rexroth Merge,”Machine Design, June 7, 2001, p. 28.

“Knowing Who’s Bosch,” Economist, February 27, 1993, p. 61.

Kobe, Gerry, “Robert Bosch Corp. Automotive Group,” Automotive Industries, February 1990, pp. 69–70.

Lindemann, Michael, “Subdued Start to Year Leaves Bosch Cautious,”The Financial Times, May 10, 1996, p. 29.

Naj, Amal Kumar, “Allied Signal Selling Piece of Auto Unit,” Wall Street Journal, March 1, 1996, pp. A3, A4.

“New Cars Are Bursting with Blaupunkt,” Design News, January 17,2000, p. 29.

Plumb, Stephen E., “All Quiet on the Eastern Front? Not at Bosch,”Ward’s Auto World, July 1993, p. 104.

Reier, Sharon, “Components: Robert Bosch,” Financial World, April 14, 1992, p. 56.

Schroter, Harm G., “The German Question, the Unification of Europe, and the European Market Strategies of Germany’s Chemical and Electrical Industries, 1900-1992,” Business History Review, Autumn 1993, p. 369.

Simonian, Haig, “Bosch Chief Hits out at High German Taxes,” The Financial Times, September 11, 1997, p. 40.

——, “Bosch Predicts Big Sales Rise,” The Financial Times, June 19, 1998, p. 24.

“Success by Stealth,” Economist, July 9, 1988, p. 69.

Way, Arthur, “A Mark of Respect for German Supplier,” Financial Times, July 12, 1994, p. FTS3.

Whitbread, Colin, “Bosch Begins to Feel Pain of Slowdown,” Automotive News, May 7, 2001, p. H24.

Wilson, Amy, “Bosch Sees Chance for Successful Diesel Program,” Automotive News, June 18, 2001 p. B32.

——, “North America Key Area for Bosch,” Automotive News, March 12, 2001, p. Y24.

—updates: David E. Salamie,
Suzanne Selvaggi

Robert Bosch Gmbh.

Robert-Bosch-Platz 1
Gerlingen-Schillerhóhe, Stuttgart
Postfach 50
7000 Stuttgart 1
Federal Republic of Germany
(07 11) 811 1

Private Company
Incorporated: 1886
Employees: 61,400
Sales: DM 18.37 billion (US$ 7.459 billion)

Bosch is West Germany’s leading manufacturer of ignition, fuel injection, and lighting equipment, and a major contributor to German automotive engineering. The company has been described as a mixture of paradoxes—alternately conservative and daring, reflective and enterprising. Bosch’s unique blend of management acumen and foresight has kept it at the forefront of the automotive components field.

The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 by a highly motivated, self-educated electrical engineer named Robert Bosch. More talented as an administrator than as an engineer, Robert Bosch gained a reputation for innovation in industrial relations. He instituted an eight-hour work day (which was uncommon at the time) and paid employees at a higher standard rate in the belief that superior working conditions would encourage better employee performance. Bosch readily acknowledged ability and creativity in his employees, assigning the most talented among them to positions in the most promising areas. He also recognized the need for a diverse, highquality product line as the most direct means to growth.

Bosch entered the automotive industry in the early 1890’s, when the company introduced a hand-crank motor starter. Near the turn of the century, on the strength of the growing American automobile market, Bosch became the world leader in ignition systems. By 1914, 70% of the company’s sales were in the United States. The outbreak that year of World War I resulted in an American trade embargo against Germany. Bosch was prevented from doing any more business in the United States and forced to rely solely on European sales under a wartime economy.

When the war ended in 1918, the German economy was in a state of complete disarray. The nation fell into a serious economic depression during the 1920’s, which caused many businesses to fail. Bosch, however, managed to remain in business, partly as a result of its diversification and good management. As the economic situation stabilized, public discontent in Germany began to rise. Bosch, which expanded modestly during this period, purchased the radio manufacturer Blaupunkt-Werke in 1933. That same year, the Nazis under Adolf Hitler seized power and initiated a new economic order characterized by industrial growth and rearmament.

The company enjoyed several periods of strong growth during the 1930’s, primarily due to a strong demand from German industry and the military for electronic and mechanical products. The company’s growth necessitated a new form of organization, and in 1937 it was incorporated as a private limited company. German military adventurism and territorial expansion precipitated a second World War which again eliminated foreign markets for companies such as Bosch. Robert Bosch died in 1942, during the height of Germany’s success in the war, and was succeeded by a man named Hans Walz.

For Germany, the remainder of the war was characterized by severe shortages of all kinds and extensive war damage. At the end of the war Germany was partitioned into occupied Soviet and Western Powers zones (later East and West Germany). The more heavily industrialized western zone, where Bosch was located, was in ruins. Bosch reorganized and its factories were rebuilt. The American market, however, remained closed to Bosch after the war, again forcing the company to strengthen its connections with smaller European manufacturers. New efforts were made to develop more advanced products, and by 1949 Bosch perfected a mechanical fuel injection system.

West Germany was “readmitted” to the world market system in the early 1950’s, during which time Bosch became a major supplier of automotive products to foreign manufacturers. During the 1950’s the consumer automobile market experienced a strong growth, due this time to an expanding world economy and new levels of prosperity.

Hans Walz retired in 1962 after 20 years as the company’s chief executive. He was replaced by Hans Merkle, a self-taught and apprenticed engineer and businessman, known for his ability to predict changing market conditions. Merkle recognized pollution control and fuel economy as key factors in future automobile sales. Under Merkle’s leadership, Bosch began to devote more of its resources to the development of electronic products, and later produced a new fuel injection system which promoted a smoother running engine and reduced fuel consumption.

Potential competitors of Bosch, including Siemens and Bendix, largely ignored the potential of fuel injection systems while Bosch continually perfected new and better versions. When strict new antipollution regulations were enacted in the United States, automobiles equipped with Bosch fuel injectors, such as the Volkswagen Beetle, became extremely popular. Soon afterwards, other European manufacturers, including Daimler-Benz and Volvo, decided to integrate the Bosch system into their product line. When the 1973 OPEC oil crisis caused dramatic increases in the price of petroleum, the highly efficient Bosch fuel injection systems became virtually indispensable.

By the mid 1970’s, Bosch had made strong progress in regaining its prewar market share in the United States. Bosch purchased a plant in Charleston, Virginia in 1974 to produce fuel injection systems in the U.S. The company also acquired a 25% share of American Microsystems, a manufacturer of integrated circuitry, and a 9.3% share of Borg-Warner, which was well-established in the area of microcircuitry. Bosch planned to apply technologies developed by these two companies to produce even more advanced automotive systems.

The Charleston plant was subsequently expanded three times, and today remains the company’s base of operations in the United States. Through the late 1970’s fuel injection systems, Bosch’s primary product, became the most important electronic component to automobile manufacturers. By 1984, nearly half of the cars sold in the U.S. were equipped with fuel injection systems. That number is expected to grow to more than 80% in the 1990’s.

Several other manufacturers have recently initiated efforts to reduce Bosch’s share of the worldwide automotive components market. Marcus Bierich, who was named chief executive officer of Bosch in 1984, reacted quickly to these threats by expanding the company’s product line and diversifying its operations.

One of the most important products to emerge from this new initiative was the ABS, or anti-skid braking system. This device prevents brakes from locking by means of an electronic gauge which is wired to the brake pedal. In addition to being an important safety feature, it makes a number of other wires and cables redundant, allowing room for “cruise control” and other features. The Bosch ABS system is standard on many European automobiles, and was introduced on American luxury cars in 1985. Despite competition in this area from Alfred Teves (a subsidiary of ITT) and Honda, Bosch is planning to open an ABS plant in the United States in 1990, when it estimates sales to American automobile manufacturers will reach 100,000 units.

As car features grow more sophisticated, Bosch continues to develop systems to aid the driver. A new device called the digital trip meter calculates the course and direction of a car by measuring heat levels of the terrain and posting a computerized map on the driver’s dashboard. In addition to making the driver aware of the most efficient available routes, the meter can also detect traffic jams. This product is expected to be introduced on 1990 model cars.

Strong competition in high-technology electronics has drawn Bosch into the growing mobile cellular telephone industry. Bosch’s Blaupunkt subsidiary (highly respected for its state-of-the-art car stereo systems) is preparing to enter the cellular telephone industry, particularly in Europe, where its network of service centers can more easily facilitate installation and repair.

In order to assist its technical development, Bosch recently purchased Telefonbau und Normalzeit, a German telecommunications company, and Telenorma, the exclusive supplier of communications systems to Bundespost, the national postal and telecommunications group. Bosch has also entered into a partnership with AEGDaimler, Germany’s second largest electronics manufacturer.

Bosch has several other affiliations under consideration, including joint ventures with Nixdorf (computers), SEL (telecommunications), and CGE (the French manufacturer of telephone switching devices). The company would like to establish a link between Telenorma and CGE to create a French-German cellular telephone network using cellular telephones manufactured by Blaupunkt and fiber optic cables made by Bosch.

Fierce competition and a 1984 metalworkers strike seriously affected the company’s production for several months, and weakened its lead over competitors. For virtually the first time, clients were forced to evaluate alternative suppliers. These developments have raised the most important question in Bosch’s future—whether or not the company should remain privately owned. In over 100 years of operation, Bosch has been controlled by only four leaders. Its earnings are directed into a trust fund which provides funding for research and development, and corporate acquisitions. With plans for substantial investments in the United States, and expansion in the telecommunication and information management industries, Bosch’s ability to remain private is uncertain. The company will, however, remain a strong competitor in the automotive components industry.

Principal Subsidiaries

BTS Broadcast Television Systems GmbH.; Blaupunkt-Werke GmbH.; Robert Bosch Elec-tronik GmbH.; Teldix GmbH.; Telefonbau und Normalzeit Lehner & Co. The company also has subsidiaries in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States.

Robert Bosch GmbH

Robert-Bosch-PIatz 1
Postfach 10 60 50
D-70049 Stuttgart
Germany
(07 11) 811-0
Fax: (07 11) 811-6630

Private Company
Incorporated: 1886
Employees: 158,372
Sales: DM 35.84 billion (1995)
SICs: 3089 Plastic Products, Not Elsewhere Classified; 3262 Vitreous China Table & Kitchen Articles; 3546 Power Driven Hand Tools; 3663 Radio & TV Broadcasting & Communications Equipment; 3714 Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories; 3829 Measuring & Controlling Devices, Not Elsewhere Classified; 6719 Holding Companies, Not Elsewhere Classified

One of the ten largest companies in Germany, Robert Bosch GmbH is best known as a worldwide supplier of automotive equipment, with world leadership in fuel injection systems and antilock brakes. The company has also developed into a world leader in various other areas, including communications and radio technology, traffic management systems, power tools, household appliances, kitchen and bathroom furniture, thermo-technology, automation technology, and packaging machines. Bosch has operations in more than 128 countries, including the stakes it holds in 42 joint ventures worldwide. Since 1964, 92 percent of the company has been owned by the Robert Bosch Foundation (the Bosch family owns the remaining eight percent), which runs the company on the basis of nonprofit principles and uses its share of company profits to fund various philanthropic programs.

Early History

The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 by a highly motivated, self-educated electrical engineer named Robert Bosch. More talented as an administrator than as an engineer, Robert Bosch gained a reputation for innovation in industrial relations. He instituted an eight-hour work day (which was uncommon at the time) and paid employees at a higher standard rate in the belief that superior working conditions would encourage better employee performance. Bosch readily acknowledged ability and creativity in his employees, assigning the most talented among them to positions in the most promising areas. He also recognized the need for a diverse, high-quality product line as the most direct means to growth.

Bosch entered the automotive industry in the early 1890s, when the company introduced a hand-crank motor starter. Near the turn of the century, on the strength of the growing American automobile market, Bosch became the world leader in ignition systems. By 1914, 70 percent of the company’s sales were in the United States. The outbreak that year of World War I resulted in an American trade embargo against Germany. Bosch was prevented from doing any more business in the United States and forced to rely solely on European sales under a wartime economy.

When the war ended in 1918, the German economy was in a state of complete disarray. The nation fell into a serious economic depression during the 1920s, which caused many businesses to fail. Bosch, however, managed to remain in business, partly as a result of its diversification and good management. As the economic situation stabilized, public discontent in Germany began to rise. Bosch, which expanded modestly during this period, purchased the radio manufacturer Blaupunkt-Werke in 1933. That same year, the Nazis under Adolf Hitler seized power and initiated a new economic order characterized by industrial growth and rearmament.

The company enjoyed several periods of strong growth during the 1930s, primarily due to strong demand from German industry and the military for electronic and mechanical products. The company’s growth necessitated a new form of organization, and in 1937 it was incorporated as a private limited company. German military adventurism and territorial expansion precipitated World War II which again eliminated foreign markets for companies such as Bosch. Robert Bosch died in 1942, during the height of Germany’s success in the war, and was succeeded by Hans Walz. As outlined in Robert Bosch’s will, ownership of the company eventually—in 1964—was transferred in large part to the Robert Bosch Foundation, with the balance remaining in the hands of the Bosch family.

Postwar Rebuilding

For Germany, the remainder of the war was characterized by severe shortages of all kinds and extensive war damage. At the end of the war Germany was partitioned into occupied Soviet and Western Powers zones (later East and West Germany). The more heavily industrialized western zone, where Bosch was located, was in ruins. Bosch reorganized and its factories were rebuilt. The American market, however, remained closed to Bosch after the war, again forcing the company to strengthen its connections with smaller European manufacturers. New efforts were made to develop more advanced products, and by 1949 Bosch perfected a mechanical fuel injection system.

West Germany was “readmitted” to the world market system in the early 1950s, during which time Bosch became a major supplier of automotive products to foreign manufacturers. During the 1950s the consumer automobile market experienced strong growth, due this time to an expanding world economy and new levels of prosperity.

Also during the 1950s, Bosch began a cautious program of long-term diversification. For example, household appliances were added to the company’s product line in 1952 with the introduction of Bosch kitchen appliances. In 1958 washing machines were added, then dishwashers in 1964. In 1952 Bosch also began to manufacture hydraulic equipment and do-it-yourself power tools.

Hans Walz retired in 1962 after 20 years as the company’s chief executive. He was replaced by Hans Merkle, a self-taught and apprenticed engineer and businessman, known for his ability to predict changing market conditions. Merkle recognized pollution control and fuel economy as key factors in future automobile sales. Under Merkle’s leadership, Bosch began to devote more of its resources to the development of electronic products, and later produced a new fuel injection system that promoted a smoother running engine and reduced fuel consumption.

Potential competitors of Bosch, including Siemens and Ben-dix, largely ignored the potential of fuel injection systems while Bosch continually perfected new and better versions. When strict new antipollution regulations were enacted in the United States, automobiles equipped with Bosch fuel injectors, such as the Volkswagen Beetle, became extremely popular. Soon afterwards, other European manufacturers, including Daimler-Benz and Volvo, decided to integrate the Bosch system into their product line. When the 1973 OPEC oil crisis caused dramatic increases in the price of petroleum, the highly efficient Bosch fuel injection systems became virtually indispensable.

Expansion and Diversification in the 1970s and 1980s

Throughout the 1970s, Bosch made moves to expand its operations overseas, moving into Japan and Malaysia in 1972, Turkey in 1973, and Spain in 1978. By the mid-1970s, Bosch had made strong progress in regaining its prewar market share in the United States. Bosch purchased a plant in Charleston, Virginia, in 1974 to produce fuel injection systems in the United States. The company also acquired a 25 percent share of American Microsystems, a manufacturer of integrated circuitry, and a 9.3 percent stake in Borg-Warner, which was well-established in the area of microcircuitry. Bosch planned to apply technologies developed by these two companies to produce even more advanced automotive systems.

The Charleston plant was subsequently expanded three times. Through the late 1970s fuel injection systems, Bosch’s primary product, became the most important electronic component to automobile manufacturers. By 1984, nearly half of the cars sold in the U.S. were equipped with fuel injection systems.

In the early 1980s, several other manufacturers initiated efforts to reduce Bosch’s share of the worldwide automotive components market. Marcus Bierich, who was named chief executive officer of Bosch in 1984, reacted quickly to these threats by expanding the company’s product line and diversifying its operations.

One of the most important products to emerge from this new initiative was ABS, the antilock braking system. This device prevented brakes from locking by means of an electronic gauge wired to the brake pedal. In addition to being an important safety feature, it made a number of other wires and cables redundant, allowing physical space for “cruise control” and other features. By 1985, the Bosch ABS system was standard on many European automobiles and had also been introduced on American luxury cars. Despite competition in this area from Alfred Teves (a subsidiary of ITT) and Honda, Bosch developed additional facilities to build ABS system in order to meet the anticipated increased demand.

Following up on the success of ABS, Bosch was also involved in the development of electronic traction control, which involved sensors to measure wheel speed and adjust the speed as necessary to keep the car under control. Bosch began production of its first traction control system in 1986.

Company Perspectives

We want satisfied customers. That is why the highest quality of our products and services is one of our major corporate objectives. This also applies to the quality of the work carried out in our name by our trading partners, and in their sales and service organization.

As car features grew more sophisticated, Bosch continued to develop systems to aid the driver. A new device called the digital trip meter calculated the course and direction of a car by measuring heat levels of the terrain and posting a computerized map on the driver’s dashboard. In addition to making the driver aware of the most efficient available routes, the meter could also detect traffic jams. The product was introduced in 1989 as the Travelpilot navigation system. A more sophisticated version using CD-ROMs and providing data to the driver via voice and symbols was later introduced in 1995 on luxury-model Japanese vehicles.

Fierce competition and a 1984 metalworkers strike seriously affected the company’s production for several months and weakened its lead over competitors. For virtually the first time, clients were forced to evaluate alternative suppliers.

The 1980s also saw Bosch enter the telecommunications market through the acquisition of or the purchase of stakes in various companies involved in the manufacture of equipment and the development of systems, including Telefonbau und Normalzeit, a German telecommunications company, and Tele-norma, the exclusive supplier of communications systems to Bundespost, the national postal and telecommunications group. In 1989, these various activities were consolidated with the creation of the Bosch Telecom Business Sector.

1990s and Beyond

In addition to expansion into the newly merged areas of the former East Germany, Bosch continued to expand internationally in the early 1990s. The newly opened markets of Eastern Europe were one targeted area, as marketing operations were established in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in 1992; in Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Belarus in 1993; and in Romania in 1994. On the manufacturing side, two Czech Republic-based joint ventures were formed in 1992 to produce automotive equipment. In the Asia-Pacific region, Bosch entered into a joint venture to form Korea Automotive Motor Corp. in South Korea in 1993; was involved in another South Korean joint venture the following year, Korea Mechanics and Electronics Corporation; established a sales company in the Philippines in 1995; and entered into no less than six joint ventures in China also in 1995. Finally, in the United States in 1992, Bosch joined Penske Transportation in setting up a joint venture called Diesel Technology Company to develop and produce injector technology for diesel engines used by heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

Bosch continued to refine its electronic automotive components in the 1990s, introducing the Vehicle Dynamics Control system in 1994, designed to improve the stability of vehicles in critical situations by detecting all rotational movements of the car around its vertical axis. The company also entered into the increasingly lucrative market for airbags through a joint venture with Morton International called United Airbag Systems. Bosch was contributing its expertise in electronic components by developing the triggering devices for side-impact airbags the venture was developing.

Despite continuing its long tradition of innovation, Bosch entered a difficult period in the early 1990s under the combined pressure of depressed markets for automobiles and increased competition. Although known for the high quality of its products, Bosch had also over the years developed a reputation for high prices and inflexibility in its relations with its clients. Auto makers were increasingly turning to other cheaper and more cooperative suppliers for parts they used to purchase from Bosch or manufacturing the parts themselves. The latter occurred in 1991 when General Motors suddenly cut in half what was previously a standing order for fuel-injection parts. Also contributing to Bosch’s difficulties was its telecommunications business which, although profitable and already contributing nearly a quarter of overall sales, was finding it increasingly difficult to compete against the giants of the industry—Siemens, Alcatel, and Northern Telecom.

In response to these challenges, Bosch in late 1991 instituted a cost-cutting program and process improvement initiative, and also cut its work force by about 8,000. The company continued to struggle, however, as market conditions failed to improve, leading in 1993 to the company’s first sales decline since 1967. At the same time, net income fell every year from 1989 to 1993, overall going from DM 626 million in 1989 to DM 426 million in 1993. Further moves were taken in 1993 to turn the company around, including the elimination of 13,000 additional jobs and the institution of team-oriented work groups.

The next two years showed modest improvements for Bosch as sales increased 6.2 percent in 1994 and four percent in 1995, while net income increased to DM 512 million in 1994 and DM 550 million in 1995. Even if not completely recovered, the company was feeling healthy enough by early 1996 to make a $1.5 billion acquisition of Allied Signal Inc.’s hydraulic- and antilock-braking business for light vehicles. The purchase enabled Bosch for the first time to provide its customers with complete brake systems, and as one of the world’s leaders in the field to boot.

The size of this latest acquisition confirmed Bosch’s commitment to its core automotive components business and also raised the question of whether the company might divest itself of some assets in order to invest further in the core. The most likely candidate was the telecommunications technology sector, given its struggle to establishment itself. Even if it retained its diversified portfolio, Bosch’s future, like its past, would certainly be tied most closely to automobile components.

Principal Subsidiaries

Blaupunkt-Werke GmbH; Bomoro Bocklenberg & Motte GmbH; Bosch-Siemens Hausgeráte GmbH (50%); Bosch Telecom GmbH; Bosch Telecom Radeberg GmbH; MotoMeter GmbH; Robert Bosch Electronik GmbH; Robert Bosch Elektro-werkzeuge GmbH; Robert Bosch Fahrzeugelektrik Eisenach GmbH; Signal Huber AG; VB Autobatterie GmbH (35%); Robet Bosch AG (Austria); Robert Bosch Produktie NV (Belgium); Robert Bosch spol. sr.o. (Czech Republic); Bosch Diesel spol. sr.o. (Czech Republic; 76%); Robert Bosch (France) SA; Rober Bosch SpA (Italy); Robert Bosch Verpakkingsmachines BV (Netherlands); Blaupunkt Auto-Rádio Portugal Lda (70%); Vulcano Termo-Domésticos SA (Portugal); Robert Bosch España SA (Spain); Robert Bosch España Fábrica Madrid SA (Spain); Robert Bosch España Fábrica Treto SA (Spain); Robert Bosch AB (Sweden); Robert Bosch Internationale Beteiligungen AG (Switzerland; 90%); Scintilla AG (Switzerland; 85%); Bosch Sanayi ve Ticaret AS (Turkey); Robert Bosch Ltd. (U.K.); Worcester Group pic (U.K.; 69%); Robert Bosch Ltda (Brazil); WAPSA Auto Pecas Ltda (Brazil); Robert Bosch SA de CV (Mexico); Robert Bosch Corporation (U.S.A.); S-B Power Tool Company (U.S.A.; 50%); Vermont American Corporation (U.S.A.; 50%); Motor Industries Co Ltd (India; 51%); Bosch KK (Japan); Nippon ABS Ltd (Japan; 50%); Doowon Precision Industry Co Ltd (South Korea; 20%); KEFICO Corporation (South Korea; 25%); Robert Bosch (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd; Robert Bosch (South East Asia) Pte Ltd (Singapore; 70%); Robert Bosch (Pty) Ltd (South Africa; 64%); Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd.

Further Reading

Blau, John R., “As Bosch Gets Tougher, Will Customers Get Going?,” Electronic Business, January 8, 1990, pp. 81–85.

“Braking,” Economist, April 25, 1992, pp. 75–76.

Brooke, Lindsay, “No Strong Recovery,” Automotive Industries, December 1991, pp. 36–38.

Fuhrman, Peter, “Euro-Thrash,” Forbes, July 22, 1991, pp. 66–67.

Heuss, Theodor, Robert Bosch, His Life and Achievements, New York: Henry Holt, 1994, 612 p.

“Knowing Who’s Bosch,” Economist, February 27, 1993, p. 61.

Kobe, Gerry, “Robert Bosch Corp. Automotive Group,” Automotive Industries, February 1990, pp. 69–70.

Naj, Amal Kumar, “Allied Signal Selling Piece of Auto Unit,” Wall Street Journal, March 1, 1996, pp. A3, A4.

Plumb, Stephen E., “All Quiet on the Eastern Front? Not at Bosch,” Ward’s Auto World, July 1993, p. 104.

Reier, Sharon, “Components: Robert Bosch,” Financial World, April 14, 1992, p. 56.

“Success by Stealth,” Economist, July 9, 1988, p. 69.

Schroter, Harm G., “The German Question, the Unification of Europe, and the European Market Strategies of Germany’s Chemical and Electrical Industries, 1900–1992,” Business History Review, Autumn 1993, p. 369.

Way, Arthur, “A Mark of Respect for German Supplier,” Financial Times, July 12, 1994, p. FTS3.

—updated by David E. Salamie