Bosch, a global supplier of technology and services, ended its 2017 fiscal year with $13.7 billion (12.1 billion euros) in consolidated sales in North America, thus remaining at a level similar to the previous year, the company stated. The number of associates employed in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 2017 stood at nearly 34,500, a slight increase compared to 2016.

For 2018, Bosch in North America expects healthy growth over the prior year, driven primarily by the Mobility Solutions business sector. The number of associates is expected to remain at a level similar to 2017.

Bosch continued to make significant investments in its manufacturing facilities across the North America region, investing nearly $470 million in 2017. Key highlights from the year include the opening of a 104,000-square-foot Research and Technology Center in Sunnyvale, California; the launch of an assembly plant for automotive steering in Querétaro, Mexico; the opening of a new center of innovation and business accelerator in Guadalajara, Mexico; and an expansion of a dishwasher plant and central distribution center in New Bern, North Carolina.

The new facility in Sunnyvale provides 40% more space than its former location and consolidates roughly 200 team members from Bosch Corporate Research, Robert Bosch Venture Capital and various Bosch business divisions into one building. Its 20-year presence in Silicon Valley enables Bosch to collaborate with technology companies and academic communities as it develops technology innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence, automated and connected driving, data mining, and advanced circuits and sensors.