On April 9, the German foreign minister, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, visited the Bosch plant in the central Chinese city of Changsha. The focus of the visit was on Industry 4.0, whereby the minister gained insights into the company’s intelligent manufacturing activities in the country.
“In order to expand business relations between China and Germany over the long term, we need to increase the level of local value added. By using connectivity to drive manufacturing forward, Bosch is making an essential contribution to this,” Steinmeier said on his visit.
Increased competitiveness in China thanks to Industry 4.0
In Changsha, Bosch manufactures products for the Mobility Solutions business sector, including components for ABS and ESP vehicle safety systems. The plant is home to one of the more than 100 pilot projects Bosch is running worldwide in the area of connectivity. The manufacturing of automotive components has been made faster and more efficient with connected solutions. For logistics and inventory, for example, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags monitor work pieces in progress through the factory by identifying the position of transport crates. The tags enable precise details to be known about the process steps that each piece undergoes and when the components will be ready. This information can then be used as the basis for drawing up a schedule for packaging, shipping and installation. Through the use of RFID, the time needed for inventory has already been cut by 97 percent, or 440 man-hours, at the Bosch plant in Suzhou.
When it comes to Industry 4.0, Bosch says it is not only a leading user, but also a leading provider – offering a wide spectrum of solutions in the areas of drive and automation technology as well as sensors and software. The company sees tremendous potential for connected manufacturing in China as well. “We expect that the use of intelligent and connected solutions in manufacturing will play an increasingly important role in China. The ‘Made in China 2025’ initiative recently announced by the Chinese government has exactly this as its aim. Bosch is very well-positioned to participate in this transformation and drive it forward,” said Henri Catenos, a member of the executive management of Bosch in China.
China is an important market for the Bosch Group
Bosch has been active in China since 1909. Today, it is strongly represented in the country at more than 60 locations within all of its four business sectors. With sales of 6.4 billion euros (2014), China is a significant market for Bosch – as well as an important local production and engineering hub. Bosch’s business in China also developed positively in 2015, despite a less dynamic growth of the local economy. With more than 55,000 associates, China now has the company’s second-largest workforce, following Germany.
