In 2017, Bosch recorded a sales increase by 6.7 percent. According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 78 billion euros last year. Adjusted for exchange-rate effects, that represents an increase of 8.3 percent. Sales results were negatively impacted by exchange-rate effects to the tune of some 1.2 billion euros. «We exceeded our growth forecasts – said Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch – and further improved our profitability. In 2017, our sales were higher than ever. As a result of its innovative strength and a strategy focused on connectivity, the company remains on a growth trajectory. We recognized the potential of connectivity early on and are now converting it into business success.»
Connectivity and smart home was in fact an important driver for the company.
In response to the increasing number of mobility and IoT applications for semiconductors, Bosch is building a wafer fab in Dresden and intends to invest more than a billion euros in the new facility by 2021. According to the company, among the areas of application for these chips are smart homes. For the smart kitchen, Bosch will offer not just connected household appliances, but an increasing number of digital services as well. Its Home Connect ecosystem incorporates an app provided in twelve languages by the Kitchen Stories start-up. The app, which has already been downloaded more than 15 million times, contains over 1,000 recipes and uses videos or photos to demonstrate how to prepare them.
