Bosch Industriekessel is celebrating its 150th company anniversary From a boiler manufacturer to a system supplier

This year Bosch Industriekessel is celebrating its 150th company anniversary. The company started as a small boiler manufacturer under the Loos family name. In the past decades it developed to a the leading global system supplier for industrial boilers. Since its foundation the company time and again revolutionised the heat and process energy technology in the large performance range: New and further developments continuously improved the efficiency and the durability of boiler systems.

The product range today comprises in addition system combinations with integration of combined heat and power units and renewable energies as well as products for waste heat utilisation. Internally developed, intelligent controls and web-based remote functions facilitate a higher energy efficiency and provide for an optimum interaction of different energy generators. Passion for power – this is our guiding principle. "We are building on a solid foundation that we have created in the past decades. For the future it is of high importance to use and to network energy much more efficiently. To achieve this we are developing concepts, we are offering system solutions and we are conducting research and development," explains Markus Brandstetter, managing director of Bosch Industriekessel GmbH.

The history of the company begins in 1865, when Philipp Loos founded the "Dampf-Kessel-Fabrik PH. LOOS" in Neustadt an der Weinstraße (Palatinate). In 1917 today's headquarters in Gunzenhausen (Bavaria) came into being in order to develop a series production of vertical steam and hot water boilers. The boilers from Loos proved to be successful on the market. New production locations were established in Schlungenhof near Gunzenhausen in 1958 and four years later in Bischofshofen, Austria.

Advantage through innovation

In 1952 Loos developed and patented the horizontal three-pass flame tube/smoke tube boiler with internal water-flushed rear flue gas reversing chamber – today market standard worldwide. During the course of its history the boiler manufacturer brought further innovations on the market that today still are setting benchmarks in the industry. In 1977, for example, the company developed a fully automatic water level control for a 72-hour operation without permanent supervision. Further procedures and boiler system modules e.g. for water treatment, heat recovery and PLC-based control technology followed. These components optimised not only boiler operation but also greatly facilitated system planning and installation.

High quality boilers from Germany and Austria

In the past, boiler pressure vessels were laboriously joined with rivets. The introduction of the welding technique at the beginning of the 20th century lead to significant quality improvements and optimised working processes. In 1966 Loos introduced automation into production and as the world's first boiler manufacturer the company used an numerically controlled flame cutting machine for plate cutting. Today state-of-the-art-manufacturing and testing facilities, welding robots, laser cutting machines and X-ray chambers in connection with the expertise of the specially trained employees ensure the highest in quality and perfection. Up to 1 800 customised industrial boilers per year with transportation weights of up to 108 tons leave the production facilities in Germany and Austria.

Globally active

Over 115 000 systems in more than 140 countries: When Bosch Industriekessel talks about its market today, then this is a trip around the world. In the 1980s already first sales subsidiaries were established outside Europe, for example in Asia. Due to the continuous expanison of our sales and service networks at home and abroad the export share currently makes up more than 60 percent.

The 150th anniversary – a joint success

150 years after the foundation of the company Bosch Industriekessel looks back with pride on this eventful history, characterised by technical revolutions and innovations. The partnership and the trustful cooperation with planners and plant construction companies as well as the expertise and the passion of around 700 employees have significantly contributed to this success.