Bosch acquires full-service vehicle workshop specialist AutoCrew

The move follows the successful acquisitions of Weicom, Beissbarth & Sicam, Hoffman Do Brazil, and the brake friction business of Morse Group and is part of Bosch's continuing efforts to round out its automotive parts and diagnostics offerings.

Bosch Automotive Aftermarket (AA) will introduce AutoCrew as a separate concept alongside the Bosch Service organization, first in Europe, and then worldwide.

In March 2009, Bosch AA opened a new branch in Casablanca, Morocco to oversee the Western and Central Africa market with the aim of further broadening its presence in the Middle East and Africa. The acquisition of AutoCrew will allow Bosch AA to extend its portfolio of concepts for workshops in line with the division's expansion efforts in the MEA region. AutoCrew is a full-service concept for independent vehicle workshops. Workshops can put together the package they require from diverse service modules, ranging from technology, IT and management, to advertising.

"The acquisition of AutoCrew will extend our expertise in the vehicle workshops trade and also enables us to gain a strategic market position in this field in the Middle East. Autocrew will be run as a discrete concept, independent of the Bosch Service organization. Over the next years AutoCrew will be launched in new markets. This concept will provide workshops and wholesalers with a further possibility of working together more closely with Bosch,"

said Volker Bischoff, General Manager, Robert Bosch Middle East.

In 2008, Bosch spent around EUR3.4bn on acquisitions and additional shareholdings, significantly more than in the previous year. The company launched its regional Middle East & Africa Office in Dubai in 2008 to leverage the region's rapidly expanding automotive industry and enhance interaction with its MENA clients to enhance service quality.

Bosch expects another strong group performance in 2009 following its wins in the best brand for spark plugs, batteries, wiper blades and workshop concepts categories during the recent Best Brands Awards 2009 in Germany.