BERLIN, June 10 – Robert Bosch GmbH, the globe’s largest automotive supplier, remains confident about achieving its financial objectives for this year, even as new obstacles arise, including potential supply chain disruptions from Middle East conflicts, CEO Stefan Hartung told Reuters on Wednesday.
With German automotive manufacturing experiencing a downturn and the company navigating a costly shift toward electric vehicle technology, Bosch is planning to eliminate 22,000 positions within its primary automotive division. These workforce reductions are anticipated to improve financial performance this year following restructuring expenses that impacted results in 2025.
“We’ve set the course to be well positioned for the next phase,” Hartung said at a robotics and automation event in Berlin.
The corporation maintains its projection for profit margins between 4 to 6% this year – representing a two to three-fold increase from the previous year – along with revenue expansion of 2 to 5%. This outlook surpasses the optimism shown by rivals Schaeffler and ZF.
However, market circumstances are not becoming easier, Hartung noted. “On the contrary: the environment remains challenging.”
Questions surrounding Middle East warfare and its possible effects on semiconductor raw material supplies, including helium, have increased risks for Bosch, the CEO explained.
“But fundamentally, we are well-positioned and can achieve our goals under the current conditions,” he added.
