Once again in 2008, Bosch has received the prestigious Frost and Sullivan award for innovative product design. This time, it is for the development and marketing of its premium ICON™ wiper blade based on Bosch’s innovative, patented bracketless design. In 2005, Frost & Sullivan recognized Bosch for advancements in oxygen sensor technology for the aftermarket.
Based in Palo Alto, CA, Frost & Sullivan is a global strategic and marketing consulting firm that, each year, honors a corporate entity with its Product Differentiation Innovation Award. The firm’s team of research analysts tracks competing companies that demonstrate advances in innovative design and technology of a particular product. Specifically, it looks for a product that has not only made a significant impact on the industry with regard to performance and technical advancement, but has also boosted unit sales significantly. Additionally, the product must extend benefits to motorists and the aftermarket.
Frost & Sullivan analysts call ICON “the pinnacle of bracketless wipers,” especially “providing greater satisfaction for vehicle owners driving in poor weather conditions.”
“As a company still propelled by its founder’s vision to advance automotive service and technology, Bosch appreciates the recognition of ICON’s unique qualities by Frost & Sullivan’s team of industry analysts, who are equally dedicated in their task to select a winner from a host of creative and market-savvy competitors,” said David Coolidge, President of Bosch’s North American Aftermarket Division.
The bracketless Bosch ICON wiper blade, which was introduced to the aftermarket in 2005, features a number of proprietary innovative technologies that, Frost & Sullivan believes, will win customer appreciation and increase market penetration for Bosch.
With modern windshields becoming more curved due to emphasis on aerodynamics for the sake of fuel efficiency, the most significant aspect of bracketless technology is its even distribution of pressure along the entire length of the blade. ICON combines dual rubber technology, an exclusive weather shield connector system and an integrated aerodynamic wind spoiler. Air flow over the wind spoiler creates a down-force, which applies exceptionally uniform pressure along the entire length of the internal tension springs and dual rubber wiping element, helping the blade wipe the windshield more uniformly even in severe wind or at highway speed.
According to Tom Vasis, Group Product Manager, Wiper Systems for Bosch, “This combination of the bracketless product design, internal tension springs and wind spoiler allows the blade to hug the windshield, wiping smoothly, evenly and quietly from top to bottom and from side to side with no missed spots or streaks. Plus, the exclusive fx dual-rubber compound reduces 'chatter' and provides a 20 percent longer performance life than other premium wiper blades. These advanced OE technology bracketless blades will improve driver visibility in snow, mist, drizzle and heavy rain.”
According to Vasis, 35 percent of new European vehicles are currently OE-equipped with bracketless blades, and it is estimated that 40 percent of U.S. domestic vehicles will also be OE-equipped with these blades by 2010. “Not only do we fit a variety of applications, but we also provide ease of installation and superior wiping performance to ensure a positive total customer experience,” Vasis said.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 271,000 associates generated sales of 46.3 billion euros (over $63 billion) in fiscal 2007. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in roughly 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Each year, Bosch spends more than 3 billion euros for research and development, and applies for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.”
In North America, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial automation and mobile products, power tools and accessories, security technology, thermo-technology, packaging equipment and household appliances. Bosch employs approximately 25,000 associates in more than 70 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with reported sales of $9.5 billion in fiscal 2007. For information on Bosch automotive aftermarket products visit www.boschautoparts.com.
