Bosch Australia’s
president has said the company plans to grow its revenues in
Australia, and that its energy and building division would have a significant
role in this.
Speaking to The Australian, the head of Bosch in Australia, Gavin Smith, said only a tenth of business
this country was in automotive, and this would shrink further to 5 per cent
next year.
He added that the
local exit from manufacturing by Ford, Holden and Toyota by 2018 would have “nil
impact”, with Bosch’s production line group for automotive shifting to other
industries and growth in its energy and building business to ramp up in the short to medium
term.
The German-based Bosch
group is biggest supplier of auto parts in the world.
“Energy and building technology will grow to be 40 per cent of
our sales over time,” he told The Australian.
“We
have plans to grow our thermal technology business quite substantially. Energy
and building is also the area where the group has the biggest appetite for
acquisitions.”
Energy and building is concerned with energy efficiency solutions for commercial premises.
That division makes up an estimated 15 per cent of revenues
– estimated to be around $650 million for the year – compared to 35 per cent
from its consumer goods business. Automotive technology and industrial
technology each represent a quarter of revenues.
According to its website, Bosch employs 1,300 across its three Australian sites.
Smith also said the company planned to retain and expand
its Australian manufacturing operations.
Image: http://www.bosch.com.au/