Bosch Focuses On Nigeria, Targets 25% Sales Growth in 2016

Bosch Power Tools- in Nigeria has pledged to increase its investment portfolio in the country by being instrumental in building an automotive industry, providing machinery for modern food and pharmaceutical industries as well as security and thermo technology systems.

BPT at its maiden Dealers Summit in Lagos, on Wednesday, showcased advanced technology equipments for large and small scale firms.

The Company also expressed readiness to work assiduously with the dealers and distributors respectively, to deliver genuine tools and spare parts as well as working with relevant agencies to stamp out importation of fakes through grey markets, while setting a target of 25% growth in turnover in 2016 (in Nigeria) and 40Million euros across West Africa.

Bosch which is already working towards 200million euros as global sales turnover by 2020, said that as Africa comes into focus, the Company is growing increasing interest in Key markets by strengthening their presence in the region, with Nigeria being in core focus.

The global supplier of technology and services recently opened a new sales and service outlet in Lagos, Nigeria.

According to Mr. Benjamin Ofori, regional sales director, “Africa offers great potential for our business with Nigeria leading the pack as the biggest economy in Africa, with more than 170 million people and an emerging middle class doing business with Nigeria is a step in the right direction for us at Bosch Group" said, the Regional Sales Director.

Bosch Group is renowned for its Leadership in Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, Energy and Building Technology. They are determined to establish this four major segments in Nigeria and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa with local offices already established in Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, Mozambique and Tunisia.

Speaking at the event, the Regional Sales Director emphasized the importance of Power tools to increase efficiency in output and overall growth of businesses.

He further said, “The major significance of the power tools dealership event is to underline the commitment of Bosch in Nigeria at building and fostering sustainable business relationship with customers and also build confidence of the brand in the market”.

Bosch Power Tool declared 50million Euros sales turnover in 2015; having 375,000 associates, and has also segmented its African market into four with offices in Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar and South Africa. 

Dealers and Distributors
Delighted dealers and distributors at the event were taken around the tools exhibition area to view the various tools, where they had a one to one session with The Bosch Group service support team discussing customer requirements and how they can further support them.

“The Power Tools Division stands for customer focus and great engineering progress and has recorded significant successes in innovation of power tools, power tool accessories and measuring tools.

“Our step towards content marketing starts with the dealers. We are all out to offer them the needed support to reach the end users. The critical stage is for us to inform the market about our presence in the market. We believe that our close working relationship with relevant authorities will help us boost the confidence the market will repose on us.

“With over 80 years of operating through its distributors and dealers in Nigeria, The Bosch Group office at  Landmark Centre, 52-54 Isaac John Street, Ikeja, Lagos and dealers summit officially stamps its presence in Nigeria for dealers, partners and distributors,” said Jan Mayer, head of Sales, Bosch Power Tools (Nigeria).

AFRIKA KOMMT
The German company also expressed their commitment to empowering young talent in Sub-Saharan Africa where they initiated the AFRIKA KOMMT.

The program, Bosch Power Tools said, is engineered towards empowering young budding African business leaders.

“Bosch in partnership with various companies, offers scholarship programs to junior African executives so that they can spend a year in Germany completing professional courses. The goal of the program is to foster mutual exchange and learning between African executives and German companies,” Ofori said.

Manufacturing Plant
The Company also disclosed it is conducting feasibility studies on the possibilities of setting up a manufacturing plant in Nigeria.

Explaining the plans, Ofori, added that instability in public power supply remains the biggest challenges in Nigeria, hence Bosch is carefully understudying Government policy directions and infrastructural developments before finalising on the plant.