The “electronic heart” of the propelling system of eBike will also be manufactured in Cluj, according to company officials.
The company also recently expanded its production unit in Blaj, in which it invested approximately EUR 50 million. By the end of the year, the company will hire 200 more people, taking the total number of workers in the Blaj unit at 1,000.
Bosch inaugurated its R&D center in Romania at Jucu, Cluj, with a focus on the development of electronic components and software solutions for the products manufactured in Romania. The R&D center also provides engineering services for other Bosch units and also for local clients.
Last year, the Bosch communication center in Timisoara was also significantly expanded. “Due to the excellent skills and competencies of our staff, especially in IT and distant monitoring, we managed to attract numerous new projects,” said Boldijar.
Approximately 400 people are currently working in Bosch’s communication center which covers over 3,500 sqm and offers services in 19 languages. The center provides technical and IT assistance, accounting, customer relations and document management services.
The company also offers the eCall emergency service, which is available in 19 European countries.
Bosch posted a turnover of EUR 212 million in Romania corresponding to 2013. Compared to the previous year, the volume of sales soared by 18 percent.
“2013 was a year of great importance for Bosch in Romania, when all the activities of the group gained solid development. Moreover, we significantly consolidated our presence on the Romanian market, and over the next years, we wish to continue our expansion and further consolidate our business,” said Mihai Boldijar (in picture), representing Bosch Group in Romania.
Last year Bosch invested in excess of EUR 70 million in Romania, mainly in completing works on the car parts plant in Cluj and the expansion of the production unit in Blaj.
At the beginning of this year, Bosch had in total 1,700 employees working across its four locations in Romania. The company will keep on hiring new people- by the end of this year, the number of employees in Romania will exceed 2,400.
Car technology is the main engine for the development of the Bosch business in Romania, with the sales volume in this direction having reached double-digit growth last year. The reason was that Dacia and Ford car manufacturers boosted their production and intensified exports to other markets in Eastern Europe and Africa. Spare parts sales also saw positive growth.
Last year, 46 car garage units joined the Bosch Car Service, Bosch Diesel Service, Bosch Diesel Center and Auto Crew concepts.
The company also posted growth in the division of electrical tools and accessories, especially power tools where it saw double digit growth. The company plans to further consolidate this business direction this year in Romania.
Another division that posted positive results was that of the modern heating devices, with the Bosch and Buderus brands gaining market share.
For 2014, Bosch group forecasts a global growth in sales between 3 and 5 percent. Internet-connected devices and services will be one of the main future growth engines. (source: business-review.eu)
