Bosch expands activities in Switzerland

The international technology and services company Bosch increased its sales in the Swiss market to 745 million Swiss francs in fiscal 2021. This corresponds to growth of around 11.5 percent compared with the previous year. Total net sales including internal deliveries to subsidiaries amounted to 1.65 billion Swiss francs. The company, which has been selling its products in Switzerland since 1904, employs around 2,000 people in this country. "The positive result reflects the good performance of our various business units and the efforts of our associates to take advantage of opportunities in an unfavorable global environment," said Ute Lepple, representative of the Bosch Group in Switzerland.

Integration of acquired companies

Ute Lepple was particularly pleased about the growth resulting from the acquisition of Elpro Group AG in Buchs, as well as the change of name of Buderus Heiztechnik AG to Bosch Thermotechnik AG. With both activities, the company is strengthening the presence of the Bosch brand in Switzerland. "2022 will be another challenging year. We are off to a good start and will do everything we can to grow faster than the market in the important sectors," says Ute Lepple.

Sales development by business sector

In the Mobility Solutions business sector, Bosch again recorded significant growth in the Automotive Aftermarket business unit and in drive and ride assistance systems for eBikes in Switzerland in 2021, according to the annual report. The Consumer Goods business sector once again increased its sales compared with the already strong previous year. Despite the pandemic and economic challenges, the Industrial Technology business sector also succeeded in increasing sales, supplying customers reliably and further improving satisfaction. In the Energy and Building Technology business sector, the Thermotechnology division recorded solid growth. Sales in the key heat pump submarket were particularly pleasing, with significant gains in market share.

New CO2-neutral headquarters of Bosch Switzerland

In March 2022, Bosch Switzerland started the construction of a new administration building at its site in Zuchwil (SO). With an investment sum of 45 million Swiss francs, the construction project is one of the company's most important investments during the last few years in Switzerland. By 2024, a CO2-neutral four-story building with a wooden construction will be built on an area of 14,900 m2. The building is planned both as the headquarters for Bosch Switzerland and for the headquarters of the globally active Bosch Power Tools Accessories product division, Scintilla AG.

Bosch Group: Outlook 2022 and strategic course

The company as a whole achieved significant increases in sales and earnings in 2021 despite difficult underlying conditions. In the first quarter of 2022, sales of the technology and services company grew by 5.2 percent. For the year as a whole, Bosch anticipates an increase in sales of more than 6 percent and an EBIT margin in the three to four percent corridor - although the company expects considerable burdens, particularly from cost increases for energy, materials, and logistics. "The successful fiscal year 2021 gives us confidence that we can also master the challenging environment of the current year," said Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. Among the significant uncertainties is the war in Ukraine with all its implications. According to Hartung, the current situation highlights the pressure on politicians and society to act, to become less dependent on fossil fuels and to vigorously pursue the development of new energies. For this reason, he said, the Bosch Group is systematically continuing its efforts to protect the climate, despite the challenging economic environment. To this end, Hartung announced investments in climate-neutral technology such as electrification and hydrogen amounting to a good three billion euros over three years.

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