Green technologies and innovation: Bosch is committed to Austria

The Bosch Group is a leading international technology and service company in the core areas of Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods and Energy & Building Technology. It has been operating in Austria for more than 125 years (since 1899) and has a staff today of more than 3,200 employees working at twelve sites.  One special feature is that almost half of its workforce is involved in research and development. Bosch Austria invested around € 190 million in R&D in 2024. 

Research and skilled workers 

"Austria has positioned itself as an important engineering location within the Bosch Group. We rank among the top players in the country when it comes to R&D, with a research ratio of approx. 14%,” explains Helmut Weinwurm, CEO of Robert Bosch AG and representative of the Bosch Group in Austria. "The Austrian landscape of higher technical colleges (HTL), universities of applied sciences and universities comprise a true talent factory for highly qualified employees - a unique locational advantage Moreover, it is also important for Austria as an innovative business location that the attractive funding landscape in the country, including, for example, the research premium, is maintained, as well as the professional cooperation among companies, research institutions and funding agencies.” 

On the basis of the Bosch Innovation Award, the company promotes dissertation projects by HTL graduates who combine innovative and interdisciplinary solutions with sustainability by sponsoring an innovation prize. Winning teams receive prize money and valuable contacts. In addition, various partnerships also exist with technical universities and universities of applied sciences. 

"In recent years we have hired hundreds of new employees in Austria in the field of development alone. Sufficient qualified people are available thanks to the very good educational institutions in the country. We are successful in driving our projects forward here because there is an excellent infrastructure and good funding programmes such as the research premium for in-house research," emphasizes the Lower Austrian-born manager. 

"The Austrian Business Agency (ABA) provided us with tailored advice on our expansion projects  such as our Bosch Engineering Centers in Linz and Vienna, networked us with helpful contacts and identified sources of funding as well. The ABA also supports us in our in-house justification in favour of Austria as a business location." ABA also assisted Bosch in targetedly contacting Austrians returning to the country as potential skilled workers for the company as well as providing other services. 

Competence centres for development 

The Bosch Group operates competence centres for the development of mobility solutions at three facilities in Austria. In Vienna, Bosch develops software and hardware solutions for all types of drives, thus also for electric, hybrid and fuel cell drives. The Vienna facility also focuses on battery management and connected mobility, including cyber security and electronic architectures. Bosch General Aviation Technology GmbH, the company's global competence centre for aviation, is also based in Vienna. This subsidiary has been supplying the aviation industry with tried and tested automotive technologies for 15 years. 

At the Bosch Engineering Center in Linz, engineers are working on common rail systems for commercial vehicles. In addition, the facility focuses on developing automotive radar systems for autonomous driving and data analysis services with the help of artificial intelligence. Bosch is investing € 28 million to expand its hydrogen infrastructure at the Linz site to establish a green hydrogen cycle. Hydrogen for use in hydrogen engines is to be produced there starting in 2025 using electrolysis stacks developed at the site. These research and development activities are supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). 

Around 1,000 employees work at the company’s Austrian headquarters and biggest plant in Hallein. In addition to exhaust aftertreatment systems, they produce modern injection systems for large engines that can be used in ships, power generators or large construction machines, for example. In this regard, the company mainly focuses on alternative fuels such as hydrogen or methanol. The European Commission is funding this project within the context of IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) with a focus on hydrogen, namely IPCEI “Hy2Tech.” 

Invented for life 

On the basis of its business operations, Bosch aims to technologically shape general trends such as automation, electrification, digitalisation, networking and the orientation to sustainability. The broad positioning spanning industries and sectors enhances the innovative strength and robustness of Bosch. Thanks to its proven competence in sensor technology, software and services, the company is able to offer its customers domain-spanning solutions from a single source. Furthermore, Bosch also applies its know-how in the fields of networking and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture intelligent, user-friendly and sustainable products. With its technology “invented for life”, Bosch wants to contribute to improving people’s quality of life and preserving natural resources.  

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