Bosch attributes rise in sales to its presence in Jafz

Moving into the UAE was the best decision Bosch has made in the past few years, said Bernd Hoffman, managing director, Bosch Home Appliances.

Since the German appliance company established its base in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, sales have grown along with its market share.

"Our global leadership is made possible by deep understanding of the individual needs of various markets," said Hoffman.

"In 1998 we invested in locating our Mena headquarters in Jebel Ali – this allowed us to be closer to the market."

The results speak for themselves – sales in the UAE for the group are reaching about 5 million euros a year, and it is estimated that Bosch has about 10 per cent of the market.

"We want to grow by about 30 per cent year on year, we have been doing that for the past four years.

"I am much more excited about the future ... (and) ... embarking upon a strategic plan to gain market leadership in UAE and win the number one spot that Bosch deserves."

The UAE is the biggest market in Mena for Bosch appliances. Iran and Saudi Arabia are not far behind, he says.

For more than 30 years, Bosch has been represented in the UAE by Mohammed Hareb Al Otaiba (MHAO).

It is the products' high quality that has contributed to the brand's success in the region, says Ashwani Sharma, chief executive officer, MHAO.

"Their products, a tribute to German excellence in engineering, are unchallenged market leaders and number one in the European markets," said Sharma.

He added that MHAO will make several marketing and human resource investments this year to grow the UAE Bosch business by 52 per cent.

Yesterday, MHAO launched a new range of Bosch cookers.