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Bosch wants to remain active in Russia

2022-04-08T07:45:35.600Z


Bosch has severely scaled back its Russian business. However, the technology group does not want to withdraw entirely from the market. The new boss also sees himself responsible for the employees in Russia.


Enlarge image

Plant of Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte (BSH) in St. Petersburg

Photo: Alexander Demianchuk / ITAR-TASS / IMAGO

The German technology group Bosch manufactures everything from washing machines and gas boilers to spark plugs for trucks.

Perhaps that's why the conglomerate, unlike other companies, finds it so difficult to completely forgo its business in Russia.

“There are still activities relevant to the care of the general population that are not affected by the sanctions.

We don't want to stop these without a legal basis," said the new Bosch boss Stefan Hartung in an interview with the "Handelsblatt", which applies to boilers, for example.

At the same time, as a result of the sanctions, deliveries to Russia “essentially” came to a standstill.

»A large part of our business with Russian customers and in Russia is interrupted – this also applies to local production, further significant restrictions are to be expected.«

The Ukrainian leadership recently accused Bosch, among other things, of indirectly supporting the Russian military - important components in vehicles come from the German group.

The Ministry of Economics had announced that it would examine possible violations of export regulations.

The company, in turn, rejected the allegations: The component mentioned had not been supplied by Bosch to the manufacturer, even if it was a part from its own production.

Supply chain threatened if gas supplies are stopped

Hartung, previously head of the important car division in the foundation group for many years, said in the interview about his company's attitude towards Russia: "We support the sanctions as much as possible, but we don't go any special ways." The group also has a caring duty for all its employees – for around 360 in Ukraine, but also for the 3500 in Russia.

»We take care of their safety as best we can and also pay salaries in places where it is no longer possible to work.«

The more than 135-year-old company with almost 400,000 employees worldwide is also critical of the idea of ​​a gas embargo against Russia, as is the German government.

Hartung warned: "If Germany unilaterally refrains from Russian gas deliveries, highly relevant elements of the supply chain will not only break away at Bosch."

Hartung told the "Handelsblatt": "I am therefore decided not to forego gas supplies for the time being." If the gas supply stops, the company expects all industrial production to come to a rapid standstill.

The effect would go far beyond the interruption caused by Corona.

Apr

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2022-04-08

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