Bosch's drive and innovation, supported by a global network of development, manufacturing, sales and distribution, purchasing and customer service confirms Bosch's commitment to the global community.

Germany is famous the world over for quality, reliability and technology. Bosch has expanded on this and our strength lies in the development, manufacturing and sale of products, which are designed and delivered across the world to the most exacting German standards you can find anywhere today.

Paramount to our success, our innovations enable us to deliver cutting-edge technologies and services. Every day, 18,500 Bosch scientists, engineers and technicians around the world work to push forward our state-of-the-art and shape the future. More than 2,370 patent applications were filed in 2001. On average, Bosch engineers produce ten inventions every working day. By inventing, improving and fine-tuning electronics and mechanics, modern technology supports people's lives. 

From the company's first days, quality has been the keystone to Bosch's success. We thrive to provide customers with products of the highest quality. Our twelve quality principle statements constitute a work code for our employees worldwide. This also applies to the high-quality service carried out on our behalf by our trading partners and sales service organization. 

On January 1st, 2002, the Bosch Group was employing 221,000 people worldwide, with 54% working outside Germany. We place great importance on international exchange of employees, because we believe it stimulates cooperation and expertise transfers. The Bosch CIP (Continuous Improvement Process) program allows each employee to contribute his or her experience and know-how to improve the group's working practices and manufacturing processes. It is our people - their dedication, their commitment and their ideas - that drive us forward. 

Bosch owes its success as a cutting-edge technology supplier to decades of intensive research and development. Today, the Bosch Group allocates 7% of its consolidated revenue to research and development. In 2001, Bosch's research and development spending amounted to 2.3 billion euro, most of it allocated to the automotive technology.