BSH Chronology 2014-today: Setting a new course

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"We have enjoyed a remarkable success story. Our task now is to seize the opportunities offered by the markets and continue to write this success story. Together, we will achieve the next level of success for BSH in the coming decade." These were the words of CEO Karsten Ottenberg in April 2014 as he opened the International Corporate Summit in Munich.[1]

BSH/NextLevel

This management meeting also heralded the start of a strategic realignment of BSH[2]. Attention was focused on six strategic priorities as well as a new interaction between regions, product divisions, brands and corporate functions.  This also meant major restructuring of the organizational structure. One of the main objectives was to focus systematically on the consumer. In the words of management, "We want to build a consistently customer-oriented organization."[3] The company was also to be made ready for the pervasive digital transition, since "digitization plays a key role, not only in terms of purchasing but also in using products and services."[4]

Consistent customer orientation also meant wanting to be able to respond even better to the different regional needs of customers in the future. From product development to sales and service, entrepreneurial responsibility was therefore handed over much more to the five newly structured regions: Europe, Asia Pacific, Greater China, North America, T-MEA-CIS[5]. "We are thus moving closer to our customers, shortening decision-making paths and speeding up our processes," said Karsten Ottenberg.[6]

One key reason for the restructuring was changing markets. The stagnating European market was dominated by aggressive cut-throat competition. BSH faced up successfully to this competition, but additional new markets had to be opened up to ensure further growth in the future. BSH saw suitable opportunities in particular in the regions of Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.[7]

BSH Hausgeräte GmbH

A further drastic change followed at the beginning of 2015. On January 5, Siemens AG sold all its shares in the joint venture to Robert Bosch GmbH. From then on, the company's official name was BSH Hausgeräte GmbH. BSH now belonged exclusively to the Bosch Group as a largely independent company. For Siemens, the home appliance division was the last business unit with a direct link to the consumer. With its withdrawal from the joint venture, its focus was then fully on industrial business.

The new company strategy was promising for BSH: The company was able to increase revenue by a billion euros in the first year alone. Revenue of 12 billion euros was thus achieved in 2015. The number of employees grew to 56,500 in fiscal 2015.[8] A remarkable achievement, which was even more significant considering the transformation of BSH's organizational structure taking place at the same time.[9]

We are BSH

Picture of the inauguration of the BSH Technology center in India in the BSH wiki
Inauguration of the BSH technology center on 21 November 2016 in Adugodi, India. (Source: Press fotos BSH Hausgeräte GmbH)

"We are BSH" was the new guiding principle since 2016. "What drives us: We want to be the first choice for consumers worldwide. We are growing responsibly and doing our part to protect our environment and its natural resources."[10] The motivation and ambition described here gave deeper meaning to the strategy and added vision to the strengths and values of the globally operating company.[11] In 2017, the BSH startup WeWash digitalized the laundry room. A combination of software and hardware made washing and drying cycles made smarter and more efficient for users. [12] Since June 2017, consumers have been able to get advice in the brand rooms at the Munich training and conference center in Munich, and also have the opportunity to experience the BSH home appliances in action here in the showrooms. [13] In the fall, BSH Hausgeräte opened two new factories in Poland, at which around two million appliances would be produced. [14] BSH Hausgeräte celebrated four anniversaries in 2017: BSH celebrated its 50th anniversary, as did the vacuum cleaner factory in Bad Neustadt, and the Giengen site celebrated not only the milestone of 80 million cooling appliances produced, but also its 70-year anniversary.[15]

In January 2018, BSH in Giengen commissioned a completely new production line. A barcode scan enabled appliances to be identified right from the first production step for the around 250,000 built-in refrigerators per year. [16] In the summer of 2018, a new logistics building was opened at the Traunreut site. The hall, measuring 9,000 m2 in size, was for the increased demand for finished products made in Germany.[17] A hall extension for around 200,000 appliances at the BSH site in Nauen also celebrated its topping-out ceremony, a new development and administration building for around 230 workplaces was inaugurated at the Traunreut site, and a new logistics building for 40,000 appliances was opened in Dillingen.[18] In the fall of 2018, BSH set another milestone for the connected kitchen with its own Home Connect appearance at IFA, strengthening the importance of the cross-brand connectivity platform. And Kitchen Stories made its first appearance at IFA as the youngest member of the BSH brand family. [19]

On March 1, 2019, Silke Maurer was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH. She is responsible for the areas of manufacturing, development and innovation, as well as corporate technology and global supply chain management.[20] On July 1, 2019, Uwe Raschke became the new CEO of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, while continuing to perform his duties on the Bosch Board of Management. Dr. Karsten Ottenberg left BSH on his own request effective June 30, 2019, and CFO Johannes Närger retired effective June 30, 2019. [21]

In 2019, BSH and Techstars launched the Accelerator program for the “home of the future” in Munich. The startup program focuses on ideas relating to the future home and the smart kitchen.[22]

In the summer of 2020, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH launched virtual brand platforms due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These offer detailed information, lots of moving images, tailor-made solutions, and special PoS offers. [23] Effective July 1, 2020, Dr. Carla Kriwet took over as Chairwoman of the BSH Board of Management. That meant that for the first time in the company’s history, two of the four board members are now women. Kriwet moved to BSH from the health technology company Philips.[24]

In 2020, BSH achieved turnover of 13,9 billion euros. Worldwide, some 60.000 employees, 38 production plants in Europe, the U.S., Latin America and Asia, as well as a strong network of more than 80 sales, production and customer service companies in around 50 countries are the basis for the customer-centric BSH business model. With a share of 3,5 percent for investments in research and development, this remained at a high level – the focus here continued to be on digital technologies.

Since the start of 2021, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH has been working together with the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations to achieve a world without hunger. BSH also works in Germany with the organization JOBLINGE to jointly combat youth unemployment.


Notes

  1. BSH Corporate Archives, A05-0041, inform 02/2014, page 3.
  2. BSH was founded in 1967 as Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH - BSHG for short. In 1998, the name was changed to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, with the short form BSH. Since the sale of the Siemens shares in BSH to Robert Bosch GmbH the company’s name is now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, but still BSH for short.
  3. BSH Corporate Archives, A05-0041, inform 02/2014, page 5.
  4. According to CSO Matthias Ginthum in: BSH Corporate Archives, A05-0041, inform 02/2014, page 4.
  5. Turkey, Middle East, Africa, Commonwealth of Independent States, BSH Corporate Archives, A01-0033, Business Report 2014, page 39.
  6. BSH Corporate Archives, A05-0041, inform 02/2014, pages 4-5.
  7. BSH Corporate Archives, A05-0041, inform 02/2014, page 4.
  8. BSH Corporate Archives, A01-0035, Annual Report 2015, page 5.
  9. BSH / NextLevel News 07, January 2015, page 1.
  10. BSH corporate principles on https://www.bsh-group.com/de/verantwortung/leitbild (accessed: 03.03.2017)
  11. BSH Corporate Archives, A01-0035, Annual Report 2015, from page 4.
  12. BSH Press Release of 04/25/2017.
  13. BSH Press Release of 06/06/2017.
  14. BSH Press Release September 2017
  15. BSH Press Release of 07/03/2017 and BSH Press Release of 07/05/2017.
  16. BSH Press Release January 2018.
  17. BSH Press Release June 2018.
  18. BSH Press Release July 2018 and BSH Press Release September 2018.
  19. BSH Press Release August 2018.
  20. BSH Press Release March 2019.
  21. BSH Press Release July 2019.
  22. BSH Press Release February 2019.
  23. BSH Press Release July 2020.
  24. BSH Press Release 01/28/2018.