Added: Over a year ago by Bosch
Denham, UK
Bosch UK & Ireland (UK&I) celebrated its 125th anniversary. As one of the largest investors in research and development in the world, Bosch’s commitment to the UK&I is clear, with the company investing more than £300 million since 2021.
The UK arm of the Bosch Group was established in 1898 in London and now employs around 5,500 people throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
‘Inventing for life’: Celebrating 125 years of innovation in UK&I
“Inventing for life” has been the ethos at the core of the Bosch business from the start. For 125 years, Bosch UK&I has grown across 36 locations to build a company that aims to harness the power of technology and shape society through its inventions.
Bosch is renowned for producing high-quality consumer products from home appliances, power tools and garden tools, to innovations in hydrogen, hybrid and gas boilers and heat pumps. The company retains its position at the leading edge of the most advanced high-tech automotive solutions that cover powertrains and automated driving, as well as personalised and connected mobility.
Robert Bosch played a central role in establishing the car industry in the UK thanks to his partnership with Frederik Simms. Together they helped to make the car a usable and affordable machine, and they helped to create the structure necessary for a whole industry to develop – from refueling stations to automobile clubs.
Robert Bosch came to the UK with a pioneering spirit – he wanted to push beyond the borders of his home country. He sought new opportunities in the UK and very quickly all around the world.
Robert Bosch was eager to generate value from the countries that he set up his business in. For example, in the UK he quickly built a manufacturing facility in London and that approach enabled him to establish a highly successful business. That focus stayed, and in the past 125 years the company has branched out into a wide variety of industries.
Today, Bosch researches and develops automotive mobility solutions in the UK and Ireland and has established an Automotive Research & Development Centre in Limerick and has acquired some of the most technologically advanced companies in the UK.
These include Five, the autonomous vehicle start-up, and Protec, the industry-leading fire detection and security experts. Bosch has also opened a Centre of Excellence for Embedded Software in York, in which its ETAS subsidiary develops operating systems and software for the automotive industry.
Vonjy Rajakoba, Managing Director of Bosch UK & Ireland, said: “It’s remarkable to look back at Bosch’s long history here in the UK. There are not many companies that have been around for over a century and there are still fewer that have been continuously successful through such a long period of time.
Bosch has always been a company that looks forwards, and we’re excited about the future and the innovations to come. We ‘invent for life’, developing products that make life easier for our customers, whether they are consumers or businesses, with an important focus on sustainable technology.
As technology advances at an ever-faster pace, our team of associates across the UK and Ireland are helping to build autonomous cars, prepare for the hydrogen economy, and selling high-quality and sustainable products to millions of consumers. Sustainability is central to the work we do at Bosch, from the design phase, to manufacturing, and distribution. Our associates are committed to developing sustainable technology and we help them to do that by ensuring they have the skills they need to meet the challenges of today.
Around the world Bosch has always been about working together to bring technology to the people and that’s exactly what we’re doing here, today, across the UK, Ireland and indeed the world.”
Inventing and innovating, past and future
Bosch has a strong track record of inventing worldwide, of which the UK has played a key role, including the invention and innovations of:
Current and future technology Bosch is working on, that could have a significant impact on everyday life, includes:
Ongoing commitment to the UK and Ireland
During the past 125 years, Bosch UK&I has remained a significant part of the Bosch Group’s global business and is the company’s fourth largest market globally, as well as the largest market in Europe, outside of Bosch’s home country of Germany.
As part of the commitments into the UK business, Bosch has acquired a new HQ at Broadwater Park in Denham, near Uxbridge. The new HQ is located next to the company’s existing building and will be a green business campus that showcases Bosch’s technology. Bosch UK associates will move into the new building next year.
Technology for the next 125 years and beyond
Vonjy Rajakoba added, “Our associates are what have made our past and will define our future. They have played a vital role in shaping our company, industry, and the lives of many, as have the products we have invested in across the business.
Bosch has an exciting future that will be built on advanced technological expertise. Whether it’s hydrogen-powered central heating or hydrogen-powered lorries, or the powerful potential of quantum computing or the limitless possibilities of sensors, we are continuously inventing sophisticated products and shaping the futures of our customers and our business.”
