In the 2010 fiscal year, according to preliminary figures, this global supplier of technology and services generated sales of 47.3 billion euros, 24 percent more than in the previous year (2009: 38.2 billion euros). “This is the highest level of annual sales in the 125 years of our company’s history,” said Franz Fehrenbach, the chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH.

The earnings situation of the Bosch Group also improved significantly. Indeed, for pre-tax result, the company returned to its target corridor of between 7 and 8 percent of sales in 2010, following a loss of 1.2 billion euros in the previous year. The final figures will be announced at the annual press conference on April 14, 2011.

Last year, in line with the sectoral and regional recovery, all three business sectors grew significantly. Automotive Technology recorded the highest sales growth – growth of 29 percent to some 28 billion euros (previous year: 21.7 billion euros). Industrial Technology was also able to boost its sales considerably. From their prior-year level of 5.1 billion euros, they rose by more than 27 percent to over 6.5 billion euros. More than 500 million euros of this increase is due to the first-time consolidation of the majority shareholding in aleo solar AG, which Bosch acquired at the end of 2009. Consumer Goods and Building Technology, which was less affected by the recession of 2008 and 2009, discloses significant growth of roughly 10 percent to some 12.5 billion euros (prior year: 11.3 billion euros).