The energy services market has been on the rise in recent years, Mihail Boldijar, general manager Robert Bosch SRL and representative of the Bosch Group in Romania, told energynomics.ro. “We have a double-digit growth for thermotechnical products or microsystems, solutions, and related services, and we expect 2018 to follow the same pace,” says Boldijar, referring to the 2017 results.
“We have a very strong presence on the thermo, both in mural, commercial, water heaters and industrial boilers. We observe a very large increase in the industrial and commercial boiler zone, given that Romania is at a stage of re-industrialization, on the one hand there are new productive units that need hot water and hot steam, but also refurbishing and basically changing old technology with a much more efficient and economical one,” says Boldijar.
The Bosch Director claims that there are solutions even if Elcen-Radet’s district heating system goes bankrupt.
He also said that the group will continue the investments of the previous year, when the volume of the capital injection in Romania exceeded 100 million euros.
A double figure increase
Total net sales of the group in Romania increased by 57 percent in 2017, to 4.2 billion lei (931 million euros).
“Probably this year we will exceed 1 billion euros,” says Boldijar.
The investments amounted to over 453 million lei (about 100 million euros) last year, when the group expanded all operations in Romania and decided to open new factories and new support and service centers.
“In the first three months, Bosch has managed to achieve again a significant two-figure increase in sales,” Boldijar said.
The number of Bosch employees in Romania reached around 6,500 on 31 December 2017, representing an annual increase of 36 percent. It is expected that this number will increase in 2018, especially in locations in Cluj, Blaj and Timisoara, “probably at the same pace,” Boldijar told energynomics.ro.
Bosch invested in 2017 in particular in the development of production units for Mobility Solutions in Cluj and Blaj. The automotive electronic components factory in Cluj has increased its production capacity and product portfolio. In this production facility, Bosch has been manufacturing, inter alia, electronic control units for the airbags, multiple camera systems and driving assistance, as well as electronic safety systems. In October 2017, Bosch inaugurated a Training Center at the factory, dedicated to the training of students in the dual education system, and also to the continued professional development of its employees. The investment in the new 4,400 square meter building and modern training rooms amounts to approximately six million euros.
Moreover, Blaj’s production unit registered a significant increase during 2017, especially in the Mobility Solutions sector. Due to the high demand, the company has increased its production capacity for high-quality car components such as oxygen sensors and transmission control components and is preparing to add new products to its portfolio in 2018 such as nitrares oxides emission sensors. Since 2007, the plant also produces components for the Industrial Technology sector and will continue to strengthen its position by getting new projects in this area. Bosch begun erecting a new office building this year, which will be inaugurated in 2019.
In addition, as part of its commitment to Romania, Bosch has decided to expand its production activities to the Consumer Goods Sector. BSH Appliance has recently acquired a 40-acre land for the construction of a washing machine factory in Simeria. In the coming years, the company will invest around 110 million euros in this project. BSH will begin construction of a production hall as well as a logistics center and office building this year. BSH Appliance plans to start producing washing machines in Simeria in 2020. From 2022, the new plant will have an annual production capacity of over one million washing machines, for the European market.
Strong development of R&D activities in Romania
Bosch has constantly expanded its research and development activities in Romania since 2013 and has started building its own Engineering Center in Cluj-Napoca. The company will invest about 25 million euros in this project. The new building, which will have an area of approximately 17,000 square meters, will focus, since 2019, on the activities previously deployed in several locations in Cluj. At present, approximately 400 employees are working in the offices of the Engineering Center in Cluj-Napoca. The R&D Center in Cluj develops state-of-the-art products in software, hardware and mechanical areas, as well as engineering quality and reliability. Bosch’s engineers are working on solutions and technologies such as electrified, self-connected driving, autonomous driving and driving comfort.
The 2017 year saw a significant increase for Bosch Service Solutions in Timisoara, which provides outsourcing of business processes in 20 languages. The company strengthens its position on the local market by relocating its operations to a new office building in July 2018, where Bosch rented four floors with a total area of 7,300 square meters and plans to expand the rented area in the coming years.
Within the Mobility Solutions sector, the Automotive Aftermarket division has been aligned with market growth in 2017. With new partners, Bosch has increased its network in Romania to more than 350 car services. Also, the Construction and Energy Technology sector has grown over the past year. Bosch’s Thermotechnics division continued to increase its sales in 2017, with a special success especially with condensing thermal power plants.
