October 31st, 2006, Beijing - Along with facilities already completed in Shanghai, Jinqiao, today, Bosch Rexroth, a leading global supplier of industrial technologies held a grand opening ceremony announcing the official completion of two new factories in Beijing and Changzhou. With the investment of 18.5 million euros in the new building in Beijing and 9.5 million euros in the extension in Wujin, Bosch Rexroth will further expand its business in China. As a unique supplier on the market, Bosch Rexroth offers the complete spectrum of hydraulic, pneumatic, electronic, and mechanical technologies.

"We will utilize these new capacities to strengthen our presence in the growing China market and, at the same time, broaden our basis for high growth worldwide," said Mr. Manfred Grundke, CEO of Bosch Rexroth AG, during the opening of the production lines. Since 2002 Bosch Rexroth has increased worldwide sales by about 25 percent to 4.6 billion euros and achieved two-digit growth rates in the last two business years. In China alone, the company has doubled its sales within five years.

The new factory in the Beijing Economic and Technology Development Area which is Bosch Rexroth"s largest sub-project in China is a two-phase project with a total of more than 54,000 square meters. The area already completed, covers 30,000 square meters and 620 employees and incorporates cutting-edge international technologies such as a hydraulic based production line. This hydraulic line provides an array of core components, including travel gearbox, swing gearbox, winch gearboxes, axial piston units and motor products intended for construction and mobile machinery manufacturing enterprises.

The expansion of the plant in Changzhou, Wujin, will help Bosch Rexroth increase the range of products manufactured locally. Apart from hydraulic cylinders and power units, a workforce of about 500 will also produce hydraulic valves. The number of Changzhou employees will increase to more than 740 in total in 2009 and the area has also been doubled to about 36,000 square meters. This new plant will house a training center that provides systematic training in production, new technology, and applications for staff, customers and business partners.

Apart from these production facilities, Bosch Rexroth also operates two logistics centers in China. Bosch Rexroth is actively combining the synergies of its sales and service network in China, which currently has six locations, in order to better serve customers in this market. In 2007, Bosch Rexroth will open the new Guangzhou Service Center in Southern China, the Reman Center in Beijing and an additional service center in Dalian. A Chongqing Service Center is planned to be built in 2008.

Following its entry into the Chinese market, Bosch Rexroth has increased its business presence in concert with the Chinese economy’s rapid development. Bosch Rexroth has participated in the development of a number of major projects for China, including the world’s largest Observation Wheel, to be located in Beijing, and the National Olympic Stadium, commonly called the "Bird’s Nest", under construction in Beijing.

Thanks to Bosch Rexroth’s comprehensive and innovative stage equipment technologies, the company was also chosen to install a set of stage equipment for the China National Grand Theater, including unique control systems that ensure rapid and agile stage rotation in complete silence.

Finally, Bosch Rexroth has been active collaborating with local construction enterprises involved in infrastructure projects. The company has assisted or is currently assisting in numerous major national infrastructure projects, including the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the Yangshan Deepwater Port, and the Three Gorges Project. In each of these projects, Bosch Rexroth has carefully considered local conditions and correspondingly tailored its comprehensive Drive and control solutions to fit each unique situation.

"China has become the center of competence for Bosch Rexroth in Asia and we are committed to serving customers all over the country more effectively than ever" Mr. Theo Ramhorst, Managing Director of Bosch Rexroth China commented confidently.

About Bosch in China

Bosch founded its first trading office in China as early as 1909. In 1926, the first car service workshop opened in Shanghai. Today, all Bosch business sectors are present in China: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology and Consumer Goods and Building Technology. The company operates 44 legal entities in China and has a holding company in Shanghai. Consolidated sales in China reached 2.2 billion euros in 2008. Some 20,200 Bosch associates in all legal entities and facilities are committed to bringing to Chinese customers the latest technology as well as the most reliable services to help improve their quality of life.

About Bosch Group

The Bosch Group is a leading global manufacturer of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology. In fiscal year 2005, some 251,000 associates generated sales of 41.5 billion euros. Set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering," the Bosch Group today comprises a manufacturing, sales, and after-sales service network of more than 280 subsidiaries and more than 12,000 Bosch service centers in over 140 countries.

The special ownership structure of the Bosch Group guarantees its financial independence and entrepreneurial freedom. It makes it possible for the company to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future, as well as to do justice to its social responsibility in a manner reflective of the spirit and will of its founder. 92 % of the shares of Robert Bosch GmbH are held by the charitable foundation Robert Bosch Stiftung. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG.

About Bosch Rexroth

Bosch Rexroth AG, part of the Bosch Group, achieved sales of approximately 4.6 billion Euro in 2005 with over 28,200 employees. Under the brand name of Rexroth the company offers all drive and control technologies, from mechanics, hydraulics and pneumatics through to electronics. Over 500,000 customers worldwide utilize Rexroth’s unique technological know-how to implement their innovative and future-oriented systems and machine concepts. The global player, represented in over 80 countries, is an extensive supplier of components and systems for industrial and factory automation and mobile applications.

Bosch Rexroth has begun its operation in China since 1978 and has built up four legal entities, including three factories located in Shanghai, Beijing and Changzhou.

For more information on Bosch, please visit www.bosch.com.cn

News source：Bosch China
Publish date：October 2006