Bosch acquires US building automation company

Robert Bosch North America Corporation has acquired Climatec LLC, a provider of energy-efficiency, building automation, security and life-safety solutions for the US market.

Climatec is an independent single-source integrator of critical building systems including energy services, building automation and security system integration in the US. The company provides consulting, planning, implementation and 24/7 remote management of comprehensive comfort, security, safety and efficiency solutions. Climatec is active in several market segments and industries including education, healthcare, the public sector, industrial/manufacturing, computing services, office buildings, federal, state and local government, hospitality and energy.

“With the addition of Climatec, we are expanding our global presence, especially in the growing North American market, strengthening our portfolio and becoming a comprehensive supplier of solutions in the area of energy, building automation and security services,” said Dr Stefan Hartung, member of the Bosch board of management responsible for the Energy and Building Technology business sector.

Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, Climatec generated sales of US$170m (AU$208.71m) in 2013.

“The entrepreneurial spirit, industry expertise, customer focus and shared cultural values that have made Climatec successful are an excellent match for Bosch. Our heating, energy service, security systems, software, sensors and storage technology expertise, combined with the Climatec portfolio, positions Bosch to achieve Energy and Building Technology business sector sales of 10 billion dollars in 2020.”

The Bosch Energy and Building Technology business sector combines several areas of expertise: broad technical systems expertise in video surveillance systems, intrusion and fire detection, access control, alarms, evacuation and public address systems, professional audio and conference systems, as well as water heating and comfort heating systems. As the global market leader in microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS), Bosch offers software and sensor technology for Internet of Things connectivity. The company also offers services for energy management, remote monitoring and the handling of business processes.

The market for integrated energy services, building automation systems and system integration is growing significantly in the US and around the world. As global energy needs have doubled over the last four decades, customer demand for energy efficiency has increased. In addition, recent years have seen greater demand for comfort, connectivity and security. Rising energy costs, increasingly complex energy systems and a changing regulatory environment foster major growth opportunities in the residential and commercial building sector as well as the services segment.

Climatec will operate as a largely independent entity, maintaining its offices in Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. Operations will continue to be run by the same management team. Climatec will continue to represent and integrate numerous leading manufacturers’ product lines across its wide range of services, including Bosch products. As before, the Bosch Security Systems division, Fairport, NY, will continue to sell its security and safety products in the North American market through leading distributors and system integrators.