The Philippines is now the fastest growing market for Bosch products in Southeast Asia.
Buoyed by the significant performance of the company’s power tools and automotive businesses, together with the sterling showing of its security systems business, the local operations of Robert Bosch, Inc., a supplier of technology and services, achieved a double digit growth of more than 45% in consolidated sales to US$42.5-million in 2014.
For this year, the company expects to continue its increasing sales growth in its local operations due to increased demand for its products. Another factor that can contribute to the growth is the expansion in the number of its business hub locations outside Metro Manila to include Cagayan de Oro, which is set to open this year, along with Cebu and Davao, which were opened in 2013. Aside from these, Bosch has increased its local workforce to nearly 400 employees.
“We expect to continue having a double digit growth because of the increasing demand brought about by the strong domestic economy which drives our business,” said Andrew Powell, Managing Director of Bosch in the Philippines.
Powell also said that Bosch remains strongly committed to the Philippine market through continued product and service diversification, employment growth, compelling social and sustainability programs, trainings and partnerships.
The company will also invest more in research and development as it is also a key driver of its growth. Powell claimed they have registered a total of 5,000 patents.
“We believe in innovation, and will continue expanding with the introduction of new products and solutions in the Philippines which will bring Php82-million additional sales for the company,” said Powell. “We will focus more on customers and support them with our security systems.”
The company registered growth in all its business sectors. The Mobility Solutions business sector or the automotive technology contributed the largest share in sales and reported double digit sales increase in 2014, after it expanded its distribution network and broadened its product portfolio to include gasoline systems components and batteries. Besides, Bosch Car Service and Diesel Centers have increased in number, totaling 40 workshops last year.
The performance of the Energy and Building Technology business sector is impressive, with its Security Systems division securing notable projects in its initial operations locally. Largest projects of the sector are the 28 hangs of line array speakers and 56 passive loudspeaker systems for the Philippine Arena in Bulacan; and the installation of 2,000 public address and background music speakers in the City of Dreams.
Bosch’s Consumer Goods and Industrial Technology business sectors also performed well. Under the Consumer Goods sector, a new line of rotary tools were introduced in 2014 while the Industrial Technology sector’s Drive and Control division, which specializes in linear motion for industrial applications, will have its line of machinery available locally this year.
