Bosch Targets Increased Chinese Bearing Purchasing

Bosch Targets Increased Chinese Bearing Purchasing Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany) revealed it will dramatically increase automotive system component sourcing from China -- beginning with bearings and seals. Bosch is the world's largest manufacturer of automotive components, chassis systems and electronic and electromechanical systems. The company's many other divisions are also leaders in home appliances, power tools and industrial drive and motion control systems. Several European industrial analysts have said they believe Bosch and its various divisions and vendors have become the globe's largest single purchaser of bearings and related components. In 2006, Bosch sourced approximately Eur 300 million (USD $400.5 million) worth of automotive system components from China. By the end of 2007, the company said it intends to more than triple that, to over Eur 1 billion (USD $1.3 billion). Bearings are first on the list of components being targeted for the ramped-up China sourcing initiative. The company did not say, however, what proportion would be from existing bearing suppliers, via production shifted to China.