Bosch Rexroth is growing in difficult environment

• Preliminary sales at 5.6 billion euros in 2014

• Positive sales trend especially in Europe

• Efficiency program will be continued

According to preliminary figures, Bosch Rexroth was able to increase sales on a comparable basis by 3.5 percent to 5.6 billion euros in the fiscal year 2014. Bosch Rexroth has thus successfully overcome the declining trend of 2013. Since 2013, the drive and control manufacturer for industrial and mobile applications has been responding consistently to changing framework conditions with an efficiency program. Demand volatility, especially, has grown and at the same time customer requirements for supplier flexibility have increased significantly.

Despite the collapse of the construction machinery production in China, the clearly weakened economy in Brazil, and the crisis in Eastern Europe, according to preliminary figures, Bosch Rexroth generated an increase in sales of 3.5 percent in 2014. “The low demand in important markets did not surprise us; however, we had hoped to receive more support from our markets. Our positive sales trend indicates nevertheless that we are on the right path”, emphasizes Dr. Karl Tragl, Chairman of the Executive Board of Bosch Rexroth AG. The adjusted growth includes the sale of the pneumatics division as of January 1st, 2014. During the reporting period, Bosch Rexroth generated total sales in the amount of 5.6 billion euros after a comparably calculated figure of 5.4 billion euros in 2013.

In Europe (without Germany), Bosch Rexroth was able to increase sales significantly and to grow slightly with the market in Germany during the fiscal year 2014. Sales in the Americas also increased due to the high demand in the USA. In Asia, sales were slightly below the figures for the previous year. This was due primarily to the development in China. The strong decline of the Chinese construction machinery production could only partially be compensated by up to 70 percent through successes in other sectors of machine and plant engineering.

Incoming orders for Bosch Rexroth declined slightly during the reporting period. This was due largely to reduced investments in industry sectors in which Bosch Rexroth is traditionally strongly represented. This affected in particular the industry sectors mining, crude oil production, and agriculture due to significantly decreased producer prices for raw materials and food. In addition, growth rates in the demand for investment goods declined, especially in emerging markets like Brazil.

By the end of 2013, Bosch Rexroth had already started an efficiency program and has thus adjusted to permanently changed conditions in the company's key markets. The plan focuses, amongst other things, on sustainable cost reductions and portfolio optimizations. From today's perspective, Bosch Rexroth is expecting once again an overall favorable sales trend, also based on growth impulses from new products and business models. Bosch Rexroth will present at the Hannover Messe 2015, for example, new industry 4.0 capable hydraulics solutions.

The company will present final business figures for 2014 on May 7, 2015 at the Annual Press Conference.