Bosch awarded the automation expert the status of "Preferred Supplier" in the "Standardized Pneumatic Devices" material group. Among other things, SMC supports Bosch with customized pneumatic and electric drive and control solutions. Malte Ihlenfeld, Director Corporate Sector Purchasing and Logistics, Maintenance, Repair and Operations at Robert Bosch, presented the award to Ralf Laber, Managing Director at SMC, and Heiko Merz, Manager Key Account Bosch Automotive at SMC, at the Bosch headquarters in Gerlingen near Stuttgart.

"With the Preferred Supplier status, Bosch is recognizing suppliers with whom the company would like to work more closely," says Malte Ihlenfeld. "SMC has provided particularly competitive services over a long period of time." Whether electric or pneumatic, thanks to the SMC product catalog with 12,000 basic models and more than 700,000 variants, the automation experts find the best solution together with the user, regardless of the technology. Ihlenfeld: "The great freedom in development that SMC's portfolio offers us is just as crucial as the active collaboration with the market leader's experts."
SMC's global production, service and support network also makes it the ideal partner for the Bosch Group. "To overcome global challenges, companies like Bosch need globally active partners," explains Ralf Laber. "With our international network, we can offer Bosch the same quality standards worldwide and thus, for example, provide innovative solutions and spare parts wherever they are needed."

The long-standing partnership is to be further expanded in the future. "We see the award as a milestone in our successful collaboration with the Bosch Group - and hope that there will be many more highlights to come thanks to our innovative technologies and partnership-based development," says Laber.