Bosch turns aggressive on tapping non-automotive biz

The company says that the launch of eye screening and detection system is a step in this direction

Bosch India, among the top component suppliers to the automotive industry, is making concerted efforts to expand its non-automotive portfolio in India.

The company, which makes a range of components for Tata Motors, Mahindra Group among many others, said that as much as 12% of its Rs 9,000 crore comes from non-automotive business including packaging, energy or electric power tools, and that it would like to grow this pie parallely with the automotive business.

Steffen Berns, the president of the Bosch Group in India, said: "We have been making concerted efforts to further strengthen our non-automotive business in the Indian market and the launch of the eye screening and detection system is a step in this direction. We are committed to addressing local needs with products and services which are "Invented for life"."

The newly-launched solution also reflects Bosch's approach to solving local problems by leveraging global capabilities. Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Limited, Bosch's largest software development centre outside Germany, started the product development almost two years ago in collaboration with various startups and universities.

The device has been tested by several eye-care providers. Thus far, Bosch India has filed five patents in this field and is planning to further develop the technology in this line of business in the coming years.

The company's new eye screening and detection system offers a combination of hardware and software solutions for eye care. The hand-held fundus is designed to respond to the shortage of eye-care specialists and the high demand for vision screening in the country. This eye screening and detection system is now available to an array of customers, ranging from ophthalmologists, to optical chains and from government primary healthcare centers to non-governmental institutions involved in vision care.

Offering early detection and imaging without dilation, the system has a modular architecture for capturing both the front and back of the eye, and a light weight for easy portability. Its software is cloud- and smartphone-compatible and thus appropriate for Indian settings, and caters to the needs of both specialists and technicians.

The flagship company Bosch Limited's non-automotive businesses have witnessed a steady growth over the years and registered a compound annual growth rate of 19 percent in the last six years (2008- 2013). Bosch's areas of strategic focus include urbanisation, infrastructure, environmental protection, energy efficiency and safety and security.

According to information available, Bosch globally derives as much as 34% of its revenues from non-automotive business and it may be a benchmark for India as well. However, Berns declined to spell out specifics and said Bosch will be growing its automotive and non-automotive business aggressively. He further noted that Bosch Ltd's plan to move its flagship manufacturing unit in the heart of Bangalore to outskirts is on track and will most likely go on stream during mid 2015.

"The Rs 1,200 crore capital expenditure plan is on track as well as our move to a manufacturing unit and to expand the software centre in the city," he added.