Robert Bosch GMBH

Throughout the world, Bosch is known as an inno­vator and leader, bringing a wealth of ideas to many markets and industries: automotive technol­ogy, power tools, heating systems, household appliances, security systems, automation technolo­gy, metals technology and packaging technology.

Bosch operates on every continent, at 249 locations in more than fifty countries and has approximately 245,000 associates - more than half of them out­side Germany. With sales of €40 billion in 2004, Bosch is one of Germany's largest industrial enter­prises. Its 44,000 associates in Baden-Wurttemberg alone make it one of the major employers in this state. In the US, just under 20,000 associates work at more than seventy locations.

Worldwide, 22,400 Bosch scientists, engineers and technicians work on technological advances for tomorrow's world. One of the measures of their innovative strength is the number of patent applications they file: in 2004 alone, Bosch applied for patents for 2,791 inventions - more than ever before. That is the equivalent of twelve inventions per working day. This patent leadership is espe­cially strong in the field of automotive technology.

Bosch is the world's largest automotive supplier and in 2004 achieved sales of over € 25 billion in this area. One example of the company's far-sight­ed inventiveness is ESP, the Electronic Stability Program (also known in the US as ESC or Electronic Stability Control). Bosch first went into series production with ESP in 1995, and by 2004, four million units had been manufactured. Major studies have now shown that having a vehicle equipped with ESP can prevent many types of crashes, and that the system dramatically reduces the risk of serious or fatal injuries. Persuasive educational campaigns have helped the system to become increasingly common in the US, too.

In diesel passenger car technology, Bosch has re­cently achieved another technological break­through. The Bosch third-generation common rail system means that carmakers can now design engines that are even more eco-friendly than the exacting US '07 emissions standard. As a result, the US market is opening up for the diesel car, with all its compelling advantages: lower emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂, lower fuel consumption, a lot of power and more driving fun.

And Bosch is redoubling its technological develop­ment efforts. At the beginning of 2004, a new development center was opened at Abstatt, 40 km north of Stuttgart. The company invested €200 million in this facility, and employs some 2,000 associates there - a sign of its faith in Germany as a research and development location. At this center, engineers are developing the braking and braking control systems for cars that will give tomorrow's drivers even more safety and comfort.

The new Bosch conference and executive educa­tion center, opened in December 2004, is also locat­ed in Baden-Wurttemberg. With seminars and lectures held in Bosch Haus Heidehof in Stutt­gart, the company trains its managers from all over the world. The state capital Stuttgart has been linked with the company for more than a century: it was here that company founder Robert Bosch opened his "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering" in 1886, thereby lay­ing the foundations for today's globally success­ful Bosch Group.

Задание 17. Read ‘Robert Bosch GMBH’ again. Why are these dates important?

a 1886 b 1995 c beginning of2004 d December 2004

Задание 18. Read ‘Robert Bosch GMBH’ again and find the figures that correspond to the following pieces of information.

Example: The number of locations Bosch operates at: 249

1. The number of associates working for Bosch worldwide

2. The number of countries where Bosch operates

3. The approximate number of scientists, engineers and technicians working in research laboratories of the company

4. The number of patents Bosch applied for in 2004 alone

5. The number of inventions per day

Задание 19. Replace the words in italics with the words used in the text.

1. Robert Bosch set up (o_________) his company in Stuttgart.

2. The company works (o_________) on every continent.

3. Bosch is one of Germany’s leading plants (l________ i_________ e______).

4. The company is a world leader (e __________ s_________) in the field of automotive technology.

5. Bosch put (i_________) €200 million in a new development center at Abstatt.

Задание 20. Complete the following company profile with either the present perfect or past simple tense of the verb in brackets. Pay special attention to irregular verbs.

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