On October 6, 2015, Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel
visited the facilities of Bosch in Bangalore. The visit is part of the
chancellor’s three-day state visit to India, which focuses on innovation and
technology, as well as skill development. During their visit, the top leaders learnt about Bosch’s research,
engineering, and vocational education activities in India.
“Our commitment to developing
talent and the competence of our local engineers are part of our success story
in India,” said Peter Tyroller, the member of the Bosch board of management
responsible for Asia Pacific. He emphasised the significant contribution that
Indian engineers have made to Bosch’s success story in India, as well as to
their current importance for the company’s worldwide activities in many
strategic areas such as data mining and smart manufacturing. “India is a key
location in our global innovation network. To further strengthen our presence
in the country, we plan to invest Rs 650 crore (over 100 million euros) in
2015,” Tyroller added. The company recently opened a new site for the
manufacturing of automotive components in Bidadi.
Over the medium and long-term,
the company expects to see positive development in India. “The Indian
government is systematically addressing key issues. We are confident that this
will positively impact the country’s development,” said Dr. Steffen Berns,
president of the Bosch Group in India. “Especially in areas such as mobility,
infrastructure, industry, energy and security, there are many opportunities for
our products and solutions,” Berns said.
Bosch implements smart manufacturing in India
The company also sees
possibilities in India in the field of connected industry, or “Industry 4.0”.
Bosch is a leading global provider and exponent of connected industry. The
supplier of technology and services offers a broad range of solutions such as
drives, automation, sensors, software, and predictive maintenance. “By 2018, we
aim to implement connected production in all our 14 manufacturing locations
across the country,” Berns said during the delegation’s visit. Industry 4.0 is
already reality at several Bosch plants in India: In Bangalore, the company
uses real-time data to shorten throughput times for the calibration of pumps
for tractors. The location also provides associates with smartwatches that
promptly notify them of a machine malfunction. Thanks to real-time monitoring,
manufacturing downtimes can be prevented and productivity improved.
Bosch’s largest development centre
outside Germany is located in Bangalore and Coimbatore in southern India, and
has over 12,000 research and development associates. One of the centre’s areas
of focus is on developing solutions for connected industry. Since 2014, the
development centre in Bangalore has also been focusing on big data analytics.
One application example of data analytics is the “e-call modeling.” This
estimates the probability of injury severity based on real-time vehicle,
accident, and environment information. This information can be used by
emergency service providers to prioritise the type of ambulance service needed
to reach an accident location. To develop the solution, data-mining techniques
were used to analyse automobile accident data collected by various government
agencies.
Another innovation developed by
the Bangalore-based development centre is a compact retina camera. Its special
software can detect medical conditions such as cataracts at an early stage.
This light and cost-effective eye diagnostic tool was specifically designed to
meet the needs of the Indian market, but can equally well be used in other,
similar regions. In emerging markets such as India, Bosch focuses on products
and solutions which are tailored to the local market. “We develop innovative
solutions in India which are used in products around the world,” Steffen Berns
said.
High demand for skills
development in India
With 29,000 associates across
India, Bosch is an important employer in the country. In 1961, Bosch brought
the dual education approach to India and opened the Bosch Vocational Center
(BVC) in Bangalore. Since it was founded in 1961, the BVC has trained over
2,500 apprentices in nine trades. On their tour of the Bosch vocational
training center, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Modi were given insights
into the Bosch Group’s activities in vocational training, and in particular how
it trains young people in India for technical trades. The BVC is recognised by
the Indian government’s National Council for Vocational Training, and has
received the Indian president’s “Best Establishment” award 50 times.
Source: Bosch