Bosch announces the annual financial results 2019 in Romania

• Consolidated sales in Romania amount up to over 2 billion lei (436 million euros) in 2019
• Total net sales grew by 18 percent in 2019 to 6.7 billion lei (1.4 billion euro)
• Investment of more than 360 million lei (over 76 million euros) in 2019

Bosch global supplier of technology and services ended its 2019 fiscal year with over 2 billion lei (436 million euros) in consolidated sales in Romania. The total net sales of 6.7 billion lei (1.4 billion euros), including sales of non-consolidated companies and internal deliveries to affiliated companies, amounted to a year-on-year increase of 18 percent. “Bosch registered strong growth in 2019 as the company continued its investments and expansion plans in Romania by following a strategy centred on technology and innovation”, said Mihai Boldijar, general manager of Robert Bosch S.R.L. and the representative of the Bosch Group in Romania.

“Despite the weak global economy and the drop in the automotive production, the Bosch Group in Romania continued its overall growth in the beginning of 2020. Nevertheless, due to the worldwide economic downturn generated by the Covid-19 outbreak, this year is an atypical year also for Bosch. Given the many imponderables, we cannot give a forecast for 2020 as a whole”, Boldijar added. Bosch gradually ramped up its production in Romania after a temporary cut back in its local production activities.

The company is putting numerous measures in place to ensure that associates are adequately protected against coronavirus infection. Restart preparations were launched in a coordinated, joint approach with customers, suppliers, authorities, and employee representatives.

The number of associates employed at Bosch Romania in 2019 stood at over 8,000.

Bosch contributes in the fight against COVID-19

Wherever possible, Bosch wants to contribute to efforts to contain the pandemic, for instance through the newly developed rapid Covid-19 test and the Vivalytic analysis device. Bosch intends to produce more than a million rapid tests in 2020, and to increase this to three million next year. Furthermore, Bosch produces facemasks and disinfectants in some regions, mainly used for the protection of its associates.

In Romania, Bosch donated medical equipment, protective equipment, Bosch household appliances, power tools and car components to first line hospitals and medical personnel and contributed, together with important players of the local automotive industry, to the commissioning of 50 mechanical ventilators. Bosch volunteers have individually donated money, laptops and other electronic devices, thus providing food supplies and smoothening access to education for several less advantaged families. “Our appreciation goes out to all people – medical personnel, law enforcement, scientists, and workers – fighting the virus on the front line. Furthermore, we would also like to thank our associates and business partners for their solidarity and involvement”, concluded Mihai Boldijar.

Bosch continues investments in Romania

Bosch invested approximately 360 million lei (over 76 million euros) in Romania in 2019, mainly in the development of its Mobility Solutions manufacturing plants in Cluj and Blaj as well as in the R&D field, in the Bosch Engineering Center Cluj. 2019 was a year of significant growth for the Automotive Electronics plant in Jucu, Cluj County, having successfully increased its production and warehouse capacities, as well as its products portfolio and inaugurating its second manufacturing hall. Investments value reach up to 40 million euros. In Cluj, Bosch manufactures state-of-the-art products offering a rich, balanced and competitive portfolio of electronic control units dedicated for increasing safety in traffic and driving convenience, delivering, since 2014, over 200 million electronic control units to its international customers.

Furthermore, the Bosch production unit in Blaj has registered a significant development in 2019, in terms of both production and infrastructure. Due to the high customer demand, the company has increased its production capacity for high-quality car components such as solenoids, transmission control components, and electronic modules. Much more, Blaj plant started production for a new sensor, the particulate matter sensor, EGS-PM. In addition, Bosch inaugurated in 2019 a new office and laboratory building that hosts about 250 associates, while relocating its warehouse to a new logistics centre of over 20,000 square meters. The Bosch plant in Blaj follows the Bosch Group lifelong learning philosophy, therefore a new Bosch Training Centre was inaugurated, in Blaj, at the beginning of 2019. As a recognition of its high-quality products, the manufacturing unit in Blaj became the global Bosch leadplant for knock sensors starting 2020.

Further development of R&D activities in Romania

Since 2013, Bosch is successfully conducting research and development activities in Romania. The R&D location registered a rapid growth in the last years. Young and dynamic, the Engineering Center Cluj is the place where talented engineers work on state-of-the-art technology projects, like automated driving, electric and connected mobility and the Internet of Things. Currently, roughly 800 associates are working at the Bosch Engineering Center Cluj. The official inauguration of the Engineering Center Cluj is planned for this year. Its new state of the art office building will support ECC’s further growth in the field of automated & connected mobility.