Fast paced growth: Bosch Group expands business
Fast paced growth: Bosch Group expands business
The Bosch Group increased global sales by 6.2 percent to 48.9 billion euros in 2014. After adjusting for exchange-rate effect, sales growth was 7.2 percent according to preliminary figures.
Sales results were negatively impacted by exchange-rate effects to the tune of nearly 500 million euros. The supplier of technology and services also improved its earnings situation in 2014.
According to preliminary figures, Bosch Group earnings before interest and tax came to nearly three billion euros, with a margin of roughly 6.1 percent.
This is roughly one percentage point better than the value for 2013, adjusted for one-off and extraordinary effects.
“Despite difficult economic conditions, we managed to meet our business targets for 2014,” said chairman of the board of Robert Bosch GmbH, Dr Volkmar Denner. “Our innovation strategy is paying off. Our business success over the past year is proof of this. In 2014 we further improved our market position and competitiveness in many areas.”
In addition, the acquisition of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH and the planned full acquisition of ZF Lenksysteme GmbH will enable Bosch to strengthen its position in the two growth areas of smart homes and automated driving.
The Bosch Group achieved sales growth of some 17 percent in Asia Pacific. After adjusting for exchange-rate effects, growth there was roughly 20 percent.
In North America, sales were some 8.6 percent higher year on year. After adjusting for exchange-rate effects, sales growth was almost in double digits.
In South America, sales were down slightly year on year after adjusting for exchange-rate effects. In nominal terms, sales were more than 10 percent lower than in 2013.
In Europe, the sales of the supplier of technology and services grew by some two percent in spite of the economic difficulties the region is experiencing.
Worldwide, the Bosch Group's workforce totalled 290,000 at December 31, 2014. That is some 9,100 more people than in the previous year.
Business development in 2014 by business sector
According to preliminary figures, the Mobility Solutions – formerly Automotive Technology – business sector was able to grow more than twice as fast as the automotive market with its comprehensive portfolio of components, systems, and services.
Energy and Building Technology sales in 2014 were roughly on a par with the previous year.
In Consumer Goods, Bosch enjoyed a successful 2014 with power tools for professionals and measurement tools.
The overall sales of the Industrial Technology business sector were lower than in 2013, after adjusting the 2013 sales figures for consolidation effects, the resultant figures are slightly higher.
Seizing business opportunities and finding technological answers
In the years to come, the Bosch Group is aiming to seize business opportunities that will present themselves through developments in the areas of connectivity, automation, electrification and energy efficiency, as well as through the increasing importance of emerging markets.
“We want to play an active part in shaping the wide-reaching and profound changes to our market and technological environment, and we want to prepare for a connected world,” Denner said.
This is particularly true of the Mobility Solutions business sector.
“We see ourselves as a supplier of solutions for the mobility of the future, which will be automated, connected, and electrified. That includes components, systems, and software solutions as well as services. Combined with our systems integration competence, this means we are better positioned than almost any other company to develop innovative mobility solutions for our customers.”
In developing its innovative solutions, Bosch still places great importance on local development expertise in emerging markets. “In 2015, too, innovations will be major drivers of our sales growth. Local developments for each market are especially important,” said Denner.
