Bosch wants Industry 4.0 technology available in China

Industry 4.0 technologies are a contribution to the world and Bosch wants to make them available in China, Chairman of Board of Management of Bosch Group Volkmar Denner has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua in Renningen where Bosch Group's new research center is located, Denner said China has an ambitious plan of transformation which will turn the country into an innovative and modern society with high tech industrial production.

"I think Industry 4.0 can assist this very well," Denner said.

He maintained that it's very important to understand that Bosch is not using this technology only in German plants.

The Industry 4.0 applications are also running in the Chinese plants of Bosch Group, he added.

According to an introduction of the Industry 4.0 Platform in Germany, Industry 4.0 combines production methods with state-of-the-art information and communication technology. As a leading supplier of technology and services, Bosch has been one of the first companies to have developed and put Industry 4.0 technology into use.

"The potential that we have found out of the projects is so big and encouraging that I think in the future every plant should use Industry 4.0 technology," said Denner.

In its plant in Homburg near Stuttgart city, Bosch has seen enhanced productivity, reduced cost and other benefits as a result of the application of Industry 4.0 technologies.

Bosch has a two-pronged strategy for Industry 4.0, serving both as a user and supplier. Industry 4.0 is a natural result of the development.

On the one hand, Bosch has around 250 plants all around the world and uses the Industry 4.0 technology in these plants in order to improve productivity and quality. At the same, Bosch also develop solutions for external market.

Industry 4.0, according to Denner, will probably bring changes to the existing business models.

He explained that plants sold products to customers and had not contact with customers afterwards. In the connected world of the future, it will be possible for the supplier to get in contact with end customers.

Thus the company will be able to learn more about how the customers were using the products and offer more dedicated services to customers.

"Maybe we do not sell the product, well sell the service," said Denner.