OREANDA-NEWS. Bosch is participating in the talks of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group, which is holding its first working session on July 10 in Berlin. The Bosch Australia president Gavin Smith is one of the delegation’s 15 members. “The Advisory Group offers a valuable opportunity for Bosch to help deepen joint understanding of essential market trends and potential,” Smith said at the meeting. “Our objective is to open up new market segments in Australia with innovative solutions and technologies,” he added. The committee is headed by the Australian minister for finance Mathias Cormann and the German minister of state at the Federal Foreign Office Maria B?hmer. It was established in November 2014 by the German chancellor Angela Merkel and the Australian prime minister Tony Abbott.

Bosch sees good long-term opportunities in Australia
The global supplier of technologies and services again recorded positive development in Australia. “In the first half of 2015 our business developed well. We are confident in the market’s long-term prospects,” Smith said. Bosch Australia posted sales of around 300 million euros in 2014 and currently employs some 1,300 associates.

Important engineering location in Asia Pacific
Along with manufacturing automotive electronics, Bosch also conducts development in Australia. Its 200 engineers work predominantly on projects for international automotive customers. A Bosch center of competence for trailer safety was recently opened in Australia, which will host the development of solutions for the global market. In addition, the local engineering team applies its expertise to the areas of energy and rail. “Australia is an important location in our R&D network – both in Asia Pacific and worldwide,” said Peter Tyroller, the member of the Bosch board of management responsible for Asia Pacific.

Investment in new headquarters underlines commitment
The Bosch Group has been active in Australia since 1907. The regional company was established in 1954. Today, all four business sectors have activities in the country at three locations (Clayton, Melbourne, and Sydney). Over the past ten years, Bosch has invested more than 150 million euros in the region. The company is currently investing some 27 million euros in the expansion of its regional headquarters in Clayton, Victoria. The new facilities are due for completion next year. “This investment underlines our confidence in the future development of our business in this region,” Smith said.