STUTTGART, Germany — The Bosch Group is acquiring the operating assets of Accu Industries Inc., located in Ashland, VA.

Accu Industries employs 45 associates and generated sales of roughly $16 million in 2007. The company sells tire changers, wheel balancers and wheel alignment equipment. With the acquisition, Bosch is strengthening its automotive aftermarket division and further expanding the workshop equipment business of its diagnostics business unit.

"Above all, we want to improve the distribution and service offered by our Bosch Diagnostics business unit in North America. In this market, Accu Industries is well established in the aftersales segment, and is therefore a logical extension to the business we already have in the U.S.," said Hans-Peter Meyen, member of the executive management of the Automotive Aftermarket division.

Accu Industries will become part of the existing Bosch Diagnostics business in the United States. The President of Accu Industries, Tommy Saunders, will remain with the company in a senior management position.

In the future, Accu Industries is to assume responsibility for wheel and tire service in the U.S., in the area of both sales and technical support. Even today, the company works together with more than 70 sales representatives and 200 authorized service centers in the area of workshop equipment. The assembly activities of Accu Industries will also be an addition to the global production network of Bosch Diagnostics.

The acquisition is expected to close before the end of April 2008. The purchase price was not disclosed.

For more information about Bosch, visit: http://www.boschusa.com.