[dropcaps style=’2′]Bosch, a leading global provider of technology and services, is investing EUR 100 million (US$ 120 million) in a new plant in Celaya, Mexico. The company plans to build a new smart factory for electronic components in the central Mexican city by 2020. The investment underlines the importance of this year’s Hannover Messe partner country for the company: “Bosch is committed to Mexico. The country is and will remain an important market and a hub for our global manufacturing and development network,” said Stefan Hartung, member of the Bosch board of management, ahead of the international industrial trade fair.[/dropcaps]
Industry 4.0 as a competitive advantage in Mexico
In order to increase efficiency and competitiveness as a leading global manufacturing location, Mexico is increasingly focusing on the use of Industry 4.0. For example, the Bosch plant will employ a manufacturing execution system (MES), which automatically collects data and shares production information in real time. This makes possible both preventive maintenance of machinery and higher product quality. The system also digitally connects the plant to the Bosch Group’s global manufacturing network. “By mid-2019, manufacturing at nearly all Bosch plants in Mexico will be equipped with our intelligent control system,” said René Schlegel, president of the Bosch Group in Mexico.
Increasing demand for connected mobility
The new approximately 21,000-square-meter facility in Celaya, which is located in the state of Guanajuato, will manufacture electronic control units (ECUs) for the American market. These are key components for connected mobility. Alongside Juárez, Celaya will be home to the Automotive Electronics division’s second plant in Mexico. With a total surface area of 170,000 square meters, the site will have capacity for further expansion in the future. In addition, the plan is to build a logistics center for Mexico on the adjacent property, which will also serve as a warehouse for the new plant.
Bosch strengthens presence in North America
With the investment in a new location, Bosch is continuing its long-term expansion in North America. Over the past five years, a total of around 2.6 billion euros has been spent on strengthening the company’s local presence. In Mexico, where Bosch has been active since 1955, the company opened a new manufacturing facility for driving safety systems in Aguascalientes in 2016.
Bosch at Hannover Messe
What will the factory of the future look like? How can people, robots, and machines work together? What role do 5G, data, software, and services play? Where can artificial intelligence (AI) be put to use? At Hannover Messe 2018 (Hall 17, Stand A40), Bosch is bringing the factory of the future to life – today. Entitled “Now, next, beyond: factory of the future,” the technology company’s 1,300-square-meter showcase demonstrates what it offers today (now), and what solutions it is developing for tomorrow (next) and the future (beyond). The main attractions are 1.5-meter-tall mobile robotic figures that give a Pixar-like face to Bosch’s connected-factory assistants. Another highlight is a football table that improves its soccer abilities with every game and every new opponent – thanks to AI.
