Growth and New Jobs for Bosch Rexroth

Sales for Europe were on a growth track during 2007: excluding Germany, sales were up by more than 14 percent. “The extremely positive economic development in Central and Eastern Europe is one of the key drivers of our growth,” stressed Dr. Albert Hieronimus, CEO of Bosch Rexroth AG, at this year's annual press conference. In Germany, Bosch Rexroth expanded sales by 8.3 percent in 2007. It also achieved double figure sales increases in China and India. “The development we are seeing in India resembles that undergone by China some years ago — the potential compares well,” said the CEO, highlighting the importance of this growth region. He also emphasised that despite its fraught economic situation, the USA will continue to be an important automation technology market. The increased sales for this supplier to practically every branch of the plant and machinery construction industry can be attributed in particular to industrial hydraulics and large gear systems for wind farms.

1800 new jobs in Germany

The high demand also had a positive effect on the number of jobs created: in 2007, Bosch Rexroth's global workforce grew by 3100 people. In Germany, Bosch Rexroth recruited over 1800 additional personnel, mainly in Production and also in Research and Development. By the end of 2007, more than 17,900 employees were working at German sites of Bosch Rexroth AG. The workforce also increased in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Asia.

Investments in additional capacities

With investments in the region of 377 million euro, Bosch Rexroth has significantly increased its worldwide production capacity. Investment for 2007 stood at seven percent of sales, as the company raised the investment quota once more. Between 2002 and 2006, the investment quota averaged just below five percent of sales, which was already above average for the industry. Dr. Albert Hieronimus announced a continuation of the large capacity expansions for 2008 too. As well as establishing and expanding its production facilities in Central and Eastern Europe, Bosch Rexroth is also bolstering its capacities in Germany. Alongside expansion investments in virtually all German production facilities, a focal point is the development of a totally new plant in Nuremberg to make large gear systems for wind energy.

Strong growth in renewable energies

In conjunction with the capacity increases for large gear systems in the Witten plant (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), Bosch Rexroth, the automation partner for wind energy plant manufacturers, is preparing to meet the fast-growing demand for renewable energies coming especially from America and Asia. In its latest study, the Global Wind Energy Council, an association of worldwide wind energy organisations, predicts annual growth rates of more than 20 percent for the next few years. Bosch Rexroth's 2007 sales also grew in the solar technology sector, where the company offers innovative installation and automation solutions for more cost-efficient series production of solar cells.

Innovations for increasing energy efficiency

Bosch Rexroth is capitalising on the Hanover tradeshow to present a host of industrial automation innovations to international experts. The focus was very much on energy efficiency. “In its capacity as a supplier of all drive and control technologies, Bosch Rexroth has a unique skill for optimising cross-technology systems,” said Dr. Albert Hieronimus. The company is combining its latest advancements in electrical drives and controls, hydraulics, pneumatics and mechatronics with sustainable energy-efficient system solutions.

The CEO presented a positive outlook at the press conference. “Order volumes are looking good and we are expanding our capacities. We therefore expect a two figure percentage increase in sales for 2008,” added Dr. Albert Hieronimus.