Despite fierce international competition, sales of power tools and accessories for DIY and garden enthusiasts, as well as for professional tradesmen, were extremely encouraging in 2007. We extended our leading international position and gained market share. As in 2006, we recorded double-digit growth in Europe, Asia, and South America. We were particularly successful in growth regions such as China, Russia, and India, but we also achieved significant double-digit growth in sales in the German market. North America was the only market to experience a downturn in demand, as a result of the U.S. housing crisis.

The key factors of our success remain the strength and pace of innovation. Within five years, the Power Tools division has halved the average time it takes to move from the launch of a new development project to the start of production. Now it takes just twelve months. We generated just under 40 % of our sales in 2007 with products that had been in the market for less than two years, which is why many of the bestselling products in Europe’s retail outlets and DIY stores come from Bosch. In 2007, we were presented with the German Marketing Award in recognition of our innovation and marketing strategy.