Bosch Rexroth Celebrates 40 Years of Business in the U.S.
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Celebration at company's Bethlehem, PA facility kicks off series of
40th anniversary events held at Rexroth locations nationwide
(Bethlehem, PA - www.boschrexroth-us.com) Bosch Rexroth Corporation marked 40 years of operation in the U.S. with an anniversary party September 21st at its industrial hydraulics facility in Bethlehem, PA.
Current and retired employees, senior management and business partners kicked off the celebration, the first in a series of events at Rexroth locations nationwide to mark the 40th anniversary of the company's founding in nearby Easton, PA, in 1967.
The event included the showing of a company historical video narrated by president and CEO Berend Bracht, along with a presentation of service awards to employees who marked 30 or more years of service with the company.
The anniversary theme, "40 years of success - 40 years of Rexroth in the USA," pays tribute to Rexroth employees both past and present, and recognizes their contribution to four decades of innovation and growth.
"We owe our success and thanks to the employees, distributors and customers of Bosch Rexroth," said Bracht. "While mergers, acquisitions, and new products and technologies have helped shape our company into a thriving enterprise, that transformation required much hard work from thousands of dedicated employees over the years. The level of dedication and expertise that we have shown as a team is unmatched in our industry."
The event gave retired employees the chance to visit their former workplace, renew contacts with colleagues, and reflect on past accomplishments.
A History of Innovation
The company launched its U.S. operations in 1967 as the Rexroth Corporation, the U.S. arm of G.L. Rexroth GmbH, a German manufacturer of industrial products.
Starting with just three employees and a small sales office in Easton, PA, Bosch Rexroth has expanded to dozens of locations across the U.S., including three manufacturing facilities, five customizing facilities and 17 sales offices.
With its U.S. headquarters in Hoffman Estates, IL, the company employs nearly 3,300 people in the Americas while its annual North American sales exceeded $1 billion last year.
During its first decade, Rexroth focused on selling industrial hydraulics and worked on building a nationwide network of distributors. In 1976, Rexroth was acquired by German manufacturer Mannesmann AG, to become Mannesmann Rexroth.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, the company expanded out of its core hydraulics business into other industrial automation disciplines, adding major product lines such as mobile hydraulics, pneumatics, linear motion, assembly technology and electric drives and controls.
Throughout the company's growth, Rexroth's innovative technologies and engineering expertise were showcased in several landmark projects and applications, including:
o Upgrading the Panama Canal locks with new hydraulic systems
o Providing hydraulic technology for two tunnel-boring machines that drilled eight-mile subway tunnels under the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles, CA
o Creation of one of the largest hydraulic power units ever built, a 20,000 hp drive that powered a 10,000-ton open die forge at Bethlehem Steel
o Spearheading the transition from mechanical to all-electronic drive shaft operation for the printing and converting industry
o Converting Hershey's packaging machines from mechanical to all-electric machines, powered by Rexroth servo drives, motors, and motion and logic controls.
o Providing drive and control technology for the entertainment industry including movies such as Spider Man, Master & Commander, Titanic, Jurassic Park, The Perfect Storm, Independence Day, and Men in Black.
In 2001, Mannesman Rexroth merged with Bosch Automation Technology to become Bosch Rexroth Corporation, part of the Robert Bosch Group of companies. Today, Bosch Rexroth is an extensive supplier of components and systems for industrial and factory automation and mobile applications, and serves industries such as machine tool, food and packaging, printing and converting, semiconductor, plastics, heavy industry, automotive body and assembly, medical, and many others.
Special anniversary events are scheduled for multiple sites across the U.S. for the remainder of 2007. More information on the Bosch Rexroth 40th anniversary can be found at www.boschrexroth-us.com.
Bosch Rexroth AG, part of the Bosch Group, achieved sales of approximately $6.2 billion (4.9 billion Euro) in 2006 with over 29,800 employees. Under the brand name of Rexroth the company offers all drive and control technologies, from mechanics, hydraulics and pneumatics to electronics and associated service. Over 500,000 customers worldwide utilize Rexroth's unique technological know-how to implement their innovative and future-oriented systems and machine concepts. The global player, represented in over 80 countries, is an extensive supplier of components and systems for industrial and factory automation and mobile applications. Visit www.boschrexroth-us.com for more information.
