Bosch Receives MERLIN Excellence in Business Award

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., April 28 -- Bosch received the 2006 MERLIN Excellence in Business Award, distributed by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest (GACCoM), for its success and continued innovation in North America. The award was presented to Bosch at a formal ceremony on April 27, 2006 held at the Hilton Hotel Chicago.

The MERLIN Excellence in Business Award recognizes companies that have locations both in the Midwest and Germany and are further distinguished by their innovative products, services and outstanding business practices.

Bosch's commitment to innovation is a tradition, allowing the company to develop new technologies, such as its predictive safety systems (PSS). PSS combines the functions of Bosch's predictive collision warning (PCW), predictive brake assist (PBA) and adaptive cruise control plus (ACCplus) into a single sensor and control unit, which interfaces with the vehicle's engine management, brake system, transmission controller and human machine interface devices to assist in crash avoidance and mitigation.

The Bosch Group is a leading global manufacturer of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology. In fiscal 2005, some 250,000 associates generated sales of 42 billion euros, or $52 billion USD. Set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering," the Bosch Group today comprises a manufacturing, sales, and after-sales service network of some 270 subsidiaries and more than 12,000 service centers in over 140 countries.

In North America, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial automation and mobile products, power tools and accessories, security technology, thermo-technology, packaging equipment and household appliances. Bosch employs 22,700 associates in more than 80 primary and 20 associated facilities throughout the region with reported sales of $8.4 billion in 2005. This year marks Bosch's 100th year of operating in the U.S. For more information on the company and the Centennial, visit http://www.bosch.us/ .