汽车电子巨鳄博世BOSCH的历史

ZentralstelleUnternehmenskommunikationHistorischeKommunikationPostfach300220D-70469StuttgartE-Mail:[e-mail]:++49(0)711811-44156Fax:++49(0)711811-44504Leitung:Dr.KathrinFastnachtMay11,2011Kuhlgatz/C/CCHBoschcompanyhistoryContents:1.1886–1900:TheWorkshopforPrecisionMechanicsandElectricalEngineering2.1901–1923:Becomingaglobalautomotivesupplier3.1924–1945:Fromautomotivesuppliertodiversifiedgroup4.1946–1959:Rebuildingandtheeconomicmiracle5.1960–1989:Foundingofthedivisionsandbreakthroughinelectronics6.1990–2011:Solutionstothechallengesofglobalization1.1886–1900:TheWorkshopforPrecisionMechanicsandElectricalEngineeringOnNovember15,1886,RobertBoschopenedthe“WorkshopforPrecisionMechanicsandElectricalEngineering”inStuttgart.Attheoutset,Boschworkedwithtwoassociatestoconstructandinstallallkindsofelectricalequipment,suchastelephonesystemsandelectricbells.However,thecompany’sstartupcapitalof10,000Germanmarkswassoonusedupandtheyhadtorelyonloans.RobertBoschinvestedmostofthecompany'ssmallearningsinmodernmachines.Helaterdescribedhisfirstyearsasaself-employedbusinessmanasa“shambles”.TheconstructionoftheelectricpowerstationinStuttgartin1895wasonefactorthathelpedtheyoungcompanyontheroadtoeconomicrecoverybycreatingnewjobsforitsinstallationbusiness.Thesecondfactorwasthemagnetoignitiondevice,whichhadalreadybecomealinchpininthecompany’seconomicsuccess.BoschandthemagnetoignitiondeviceIn1887,RobertBoschhadbeenapproachedbyacustomerandaskedtoproduceamagnetoignitiondevicebasedonamodelmadebytheenginemanufacturerDeutzinCologne.Ratherthanjustcopytheoriginaldevice,Boschimprovedonit–displayingamindsetthatwouldlaterbereflectedinhisguidingprincipleofcontinuousimprovement.Themagnetoignitiondevicegeneratedanelectricsparkthatignitedtheair-fuelmixtureinthecylinderofastationaryinternal-combustionengine.In1897,Boschwasthefirsttoadaptamagnetoignitiondevicetoavehicleengine.Indoingso,hesolvedoneofthegreatesttechnicalproblemsfacedbythenascentautomotiveindustry.11.05.2011Page2of82.1901–1923:BecomingaglobalautomotivesupplierIntheearlyyears,RobertBoschranhisbusinessfromseveraldifferentlocations,allofthemleased,inthewestofStuttgart.Hestartedconstructionofacompany-ownedfactorybuildinginStuttgartin1900.OnApril1,1901,45associatesmovedintothenew“ElektrotechnischeFabrikRobertBosch”(RobertBoschElectricalEngineeringFactory).Thatsameday,hisformerapprenticeGottlobHonoldalsorejoinedthecompany.Inlessthanayear,Honoldwentontodevelopahigh-voltagemagneticignitionsystemwithsparkplugs.WhenheunveiledthefirstprototypeinDecember1901,RobertBoschwasveryimpressed,declaring:“Youhavehitthebull’seye!”ThissentencemarkedthestartofthehistoryofinnovationsatBosch.WorldwidegrowthThefurtherdevelopmentofthemagnetoignitiondeviceopenedupawholenewcustomerbaseforBoschintheformofautomakersanddriversacrosstheglobe.Manyofthesenowwantedtoswitchfromtheiroldfailure-pronetechnologytothenewBoschelectricalignitionsystem.Toprovidecustomersaroundtheworldwiththenecessarysupport,BoschbegantoestablishsalesofficesoutsideGermany–firstintheU.K.in1898,followedbyFranceayearlater,andthenAustria-Hungary.BoschwassoonrepresentedinnearlyallEuropeancountries.Thefirststepsonothercontinentsweretakenin1906intheU.S.andSouthAfrica,followedbyAustraliain1907,Argentinain1908,andChinain1909.Butitwasnotjustthesalesstructuresthatwerebeingorganizedonaninternationalscale–productionwasgoingglobal,too,withBoschopeningasecondproductionlocationinParisasearlyas1905.ProductionkickedoffintheU.S.in1912atanewfactoryinSpringfield,Massachusetts.BoschautomotivelightingBoschlaunchedanotherautomotivebreakthroughin1913–theBoschautomotivelightingsystem.Comprisingagenerator,battery,voltageregulator,andheadlights,thiswasthefirstcompletesystemfromBoschanditcreatedthebasisfortoday'sautomotiveelectricalsystems.Theelectricalinstallationbusinessincreasinglyplayedsecondfiddletoautomotivetechnology,beforeitwaseventuallydiscontinuedandthecompanyfocusedonitsgoalofbecominganinternationalautomotivesupplier.Shortlybeforetheoutbreakofthefirstworldwarin1913,Boschgeneratedmorethan88percentofitssalesoutsideGermany.Thefirstworldwar11.05.2011Page3of8Whenthefirstworldwarbrokeoutin1914,Boschwasforcedtoconvertitsentireproductionfacilitiestomeettheneedsofthemilitary.However,asRobertBoschdidnotwishtoprofitfromthewarandthesufferingitbrought,hedonatedtheprofitgeneratedfromarmamentscontracts–some20millionGermanmarks–tocharitablecauses.Despitetheextremelydifficultconditions,thecompanyrecoveredfromtheconsequencesofthewar,particularlytheexpropriationoflargepartsofitsinterestsoutsideGermany,surprisinglyquickly.Byaround1925,thenetworkofinternationalsalesofficeswasalreadylargerthanithadbeenin1914.3.1924–1945:FromautomotivesuppliertodiversifiedgroupTheworkforceandproductionfigurescontinuedtorisesteadilyuntilthefallof1925,whensalesintheEuropeanautomotivemarketsuddenlycollapsed.ThemassiveslumphitBoschhard,withthenumberofassociatesfallingfrom13,000to8,000injustafewmonths.Anditwasnotjustworkersintheworkshopsthatlosttheirjobsduringthecrisis–therationalizatio