optimising value-added networks Bosch Group

optimising valuEaddEd nEtworks

The Bosch Group is a global leader in the supply of innovative electro-mechanical technology to a broad range of industrial sectors. The company has always recognised the valuable contribution of suppliers, who provide services and innovative products above and beyond their requirements. Philip Yorke reports on the group’s latest award ceremony held in Stuttgart, Germany, where 44 suppliers from 11 countries were honoured for their unique contribution to the on-going success of the Bosch Group.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services to a broad range of industrial sectors, including mobility, consumer goods, energy and building technologies. The company employs around 400,000 people worldwide and in 2016 generated sales of more than €73 billion. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility and connected manufacturing. It uses its unrivalled expertise in sensor technology, software and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer IoT customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source.

The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 440 subsidiaries and regional companies active in over 60 countries worldwide. The company’s global manufacturing, engineering and sales network covers almost every country in the world. The basis for its future growth is its innovative strength at 120 locations across the globe, and its 59,000 associates involved in research and development. Partners in success

The latest Bosch Supplier Awards award ceremony marks the 15th time that Bosch has honoured outstanding performances in the manufacture and supply of its products or services, notably in the areas of quality, costs, innovation and logistics. Bosch presented the coveted awards before an audience of over 100 delegates from the supply industry in Stuttgart, Germany.

The theme of this year’s award ceremony was ‘Partners in Success’. Dr Volkmar Denner, the chairman of the Bosch board of management, emphasised the special role of the increasingly inter-linked cooperation between Bosch and its suppliers: “In the connected world, partnerships are becoming more and more important. Hierarchical value chains are turning into value-added networks. With our open platform technologies, we are in an ideal position to seize the opportunities offered by digitalisation in our partner networks. For example, exchanging 4.0 data using the Production Performance Management Protocol.

“Our goal is to achieve supply-chain excellence, which requires maintaining the highest quality standards. In the future we must react even more quickly and flexibly to the demands of the market and those of our customers. This will work only when all partners are intelligently connected with one another, working closely together with the aid of automated processes,” said Prof. Dr Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, the deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management and in charge of purchasing and logistics.

Focus on software

As a global leader in its field, Bosch is not only shaping the future of technology but actively driving the transformation based on the new opportunities created by digitalisation and the increased connectivity this offers. “By 2010, all Bosch’s new electronic products will be connected. This means that our demand for software will also be constantly on the rise. By 2013 we expect to triple our software purchasing volume to over three billion euros,” Denner commented.

The Bosch CEO is convinced that the company’s suppliers will also find it increasingly important to further develop their organisational structures, a move that will primarily involve expanding their softwarerelated expertise. Denner believes that companies’ sharingof ideas and knowledge is a key factor: “We have to work together to further expand our existing business in connected products and industry 4.0. Indeed, this is the only way to stay competitive over the long term.”

Rewarding excellence

This year’s winners of the Bosch Supplier Awards come from all corners of the globe: from Germany (18) Japan (6), the US (4)Korea (2), India (1), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1), Slovenia (1), and Turkey (1). At the ceremony Bosch conferred awards in a total of six categories. These are: innovation, raw materials and components, electronics, and electro-mechanics, mechanics, resale goods and the purchasing of indirect materials.

For Purchasing of Indirect Materials the following companies were honoured: Balluf GmbH, Germany, Bechtkle AG, Germany, Chiron Werke Gmbh & Co. KG, Germany, Comparex AG, Germany, Koh Young Technology, Korea, Loccioni, Italy, Netzwerk P Produktion GmbH, Germany, Strama-MPS Maschinenbau GmbH & C0. KG, Germany, Traytec GmbH, Germany and Zeller + Gmellin GmbH & Co. KG, Germany.

For Raw Materials and Components, the following companies were honoured: A.Schulman, Germany, CW Bearing Cixing Group Co. Ltd., China, Dow Corning Corporation, USA, Minebea Mitsumi Inc., Japan, and the Essex Group Inc., USA.

For Electronics and Electro-Mechanics, the following companies were honoured: Infineon Technologies AG, Germany, Integrated Silicon Solution Inc., USA, Kyocera Crystal Device Corporation, Japan, Meteor Sas Di Fabio Dell’Oglio & C., Italy, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Japan, Nidec Corporation, Japan, Osram GmbH, Germany and Shenzhen Kaizhong Precision Technology Co., Ltd., China.

For Mechanics, the following companies were honoured: Anton Haring KG, Germany, Cablex Group, Slovenia, Formtechnik Dr. Hasel GmbH, Germany, Fuji Industries Corporation, Japan, Gentherm, USA, Korel Electronik San. Ve Tic. A.S., Turkey, Marcegaglia Poland Sp. Z.o.o., Italy, Bemd Meffle Kunstoffverarbeitung GmbH, Germany, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Japan, Nash Industries (1) Pvt. Ltd., India, Ningbo Sunny Aitomotive Optech Co., Ltd., China, Pressofusione Saccense S.r.l., Italy, Reich Gmbh, Germany, Scherdel GmbH, Germany,

SFS Intec AG. Switzerland, Ssangyong Materials Corporation, Korea, Takako Industries Inc., Japan, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, Sweden and Yantaio Shougang Magnetic Materials Inc., China.

For Resale Goods, the following company was honoured: Kingclean Electric Co., Ltd., China. Finally, for Innovation, the following company was honoured: VEM Gruppe, Germany. n For further details of the Bosch Group’s supplier awards and innovative products and services visit: www.bosche.de