Expansion Plans for Bosch Automotive
The Bosch Group is planning to get hold of Holger Christiansen A/S, a leading remanufacturer of aftermarket performance parts such as alternators and starters, as well as a known dealer of automotive electric spare parts.
To date, Holger Christiansen is currently in the possession of Hella KgaA Hueck & Company. In terms of financial capacity, Holger was able to acquire sales worth 112 million euros in the fiscal years 2006/2007. It currently employs about 900 associates at its four manufacturing sites and eight revenue locations. Whereas the manufacturing sites are in Germany, Denmark, Ukraine and Slovakia, the sales sites are located mostly in Europe and another one in the United States. When asked about the purchasing cost of the company, the parties have announced that it is a mutual decision to not divulge the negotiation price. And while the procurement transaction has already been finalized, the business deal is still said to be subject to the endorsement of the antitrust authorities.
Peter Tyroller, Bosch Group Board member in-charge of the OE Sales and Automotive Aftermarket Division, has this to say: “We want to further bolster Bosch’s position as the leading supplier of remanufactured auto parts for the automotive aftermarket. We especially want to strengthen the key area of starters and alternators. With this acquisition, Bosch is strengthening its position as a remanufacturer of starters and alternators, and is extending its product segment of automotive electrics spare parts for the automotive aftermarket. With these activities, Bosch takes also special account of its social responsibility for protecting the environment and conserving resources.”
Below is a brief profile on the Bosch Group as provided in the press release statement. For those interested for more details and information about the company, please visit: www.bosch.com.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 260,000 associates generated sales of 43.7 billion euros in fiscal 2006. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spends more than three billion euros each year for research and development, and in 2006 applied for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.”
The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.