Global steps 1906-1925

The fledgling company’s astronomical global take-off was harshly interrupted by the first world war, after which Bosch had to transform and drive innovation to cope with the effects.

Crossing the pond — United States launch

It all began with an advertisement for magneto ignition systems in U.S. newspapers, which generated a million dollars’ worth of orders for Bosch in 1906 and doubled sales within one year. Business in the United States was so successful that in 1912 Bosch started manufacturing its star product in a factory of its own in Springfield, Massachusetts.

88 percent — result of globalization

Besides the United States, Bosch began to look to other markets around the world. With sales offices in South Africa from 1906, Australia from 1907, Argentina from 1908, China from 1909, and Japan from 1911, the network of Bosch representatives covered all continents. In 1913, business outside Germany accounted for 88 percent of the company’s sales.

New products — light, generators, and starters

When automobiles became everyday objects and higher speeds called for greater safety, Bosch launched the appropriate products in 1913 and 1914. Besides the “Bosch light” — an electrical lighting system consisting of headlights, a generator, regulator, and battery to make night-time driving safer, the starter added reliability.

The catastrophe — the first world war

With the outbreak of the first world war in 1914, all foreign markets disappeared overnight, research and development was interrupted, and production switched to armaments. Instead of magneto ignitions, Bosch started manufacturing grenade detonators. Around one half of the workforce was called up for military service, and women took over their work. Of these conscripts, 453 associates would never return from the war.