Bosch Group Plans to Grow Further in Belgium after 100 Years of Presence in Brussels

Oct. 26, 2007, Brussels – On October 25, 2007, the Bosch Group will celebrate its centennial in Belgium. "Today, Bosch employs some 2,000 associates in Belgium, which makes it one of the 20 top private-sector employers in this country", said Franz Fehrenbach, chairman of the Bosch board of management, at an event in Brussels attended by guests from politics and business.

Highlights:
· Strong ten percent sales growth in 2007, to 800 million euros
· Positive developments in power tools and security systems
· More than 80 million Bosch wiper blades from Belgian production every year

Over the past ten years, the Bosch Group has been able to nearly double its sales in the Belgian market. For 2007, the company expects sales growth of a strong ten percent, to roughly 800 million euros. Its business with power tools is doing especially well, above all with its new lithium-ion cordless tools for do-it-yourselfers and tradespeople. Security systems are also recording strong growth, as are hydraulics components, which are used in Belgium when constructing bridges and locks.

Brussels is the seat of the regional company Robert Bosch Benelux. It coordinates the Bosch Group's activities in Benelux, and is responsible for aftermarket business with Bosch products. In addition, Bosch runs a liaison office in Brussels, which cultivates its contacts with the European Union. In Belgium, the company manufactures and sells automotive technology products, power tools and products for mobile communication. In addition, there are well-established sales operations for thermotechnology, industrial technology, security systems, as well as household appliances. Since 2000, the number of Bosch locations in Belgium has grown from three to eight – a result of the acquisition of Rexroth and Buderus, as well as of the Philips security systems division.

The biggest Bosch location in Belgium, with more than 1,500 associates, is in Tienen. In this plant, opened in 1974, some 80 million wiper blades come off the production line every year, which Bosch then delivers to all corners of the globe. The Tienen plant is also home to the Bosch Competence Center for wiper blade development.

First Belgian subsidiary in 1907

As early as the end of the 19th century, there were already trade relations between Bosch and Belgium. In 1898, company founder Robert Bosch and the British businessman Frederick R. Simms set up a sales company for France and Belgium. It was based in Paris. In 1907, Robert Bosch took over sole responsibility for his sales office in Brussels. Shortly before, he had established subsidiaries in France and the United States. When the company's own branch operation was established in Belgium, this was a significant further step along the way to a globally operating company. However, the First World War put a temporary stop to Bosch activities in Belgium.

Between 1922 and 1980 – with the exception of the war years – Allumage-Lumière SA in Brussels was the agent for Bosch products in Belgium. Since 1980, the Bosch Group re-assumed direct responsibility for its selling and after-sales activities in the Belgian market, founding NV Robert Bosch SA, which is today located in the Brussels suburb of Anderlecht.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 260,000 associates generated sales of 43.7 billion euros in fiscal 2006. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spends more than three billion euros each year for research and development, and in 2006 applied for over 3,000 patents worldwide. 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.com.

Source: Bosch Group

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