Bosch Thermotechnology Corporation officially unveiled its new, 17,000-sq.-ft. data-driven labs Bosch Experience Center and Laboratory in Watertown. Mass. to distinguished media and local government dignitaries during its Brunch with Bosch event. The new innovation lab will focus on some of Bosch’s core objectives: better efficiencies, quieter operation, and connectivity and controls. “We are a German company but we feel like a local company because we have been in North America nearly 125 years,” said Mike Mensuetti, president of Bosch North America. “The new lab will help us continue to help people with their quality of life.”
Mike Mensuetti, president of Bosch North America, addresses the assembled guests.
Why Watertown? According to Bosch, Boston has the highest millennial population out of 25 cities, 114 higher education institutions with more than 250,000 students, ranks third highest in jobs per square mile, and 13 companies with headquarters in Massachussetts with Boston ranked top startup community in the U.S.
The new space, conveniently located 10 miles from Boston, is now headquarters to Bosch sales, marketing, product engineering, human resource and business development, and is home to Bosch’s first-ever air-conditioning laboratory, which will allow the company to test and refine the performance, sound and connectivity of its air-conditioning units in-house.
A look into the Bosch Lab showroom.
The facility also includes a Bosch Experience Center, where visitors can immerse themselves in the company’s diverse portfolio of energy-efficient products. “Moving to a facility equipped with a full laboratory aligns with our vision to further design and manufacture leading HVAC solutions, especially in the air-conditioning industry,” said Vitor Gregorio, regional president at Bosch Thermotechnology. “It’s not just a new headquarters with a modern office space; it’s also a research and development investment in terms of people, talent and infrastructure.”
Goncalo Costa, director of air conditioning at Bosch Thermotechnology, and tour guide, talks about connectivity as it relates to products, such as the Greentherm boiler shown here.
Equipped with brand-new, advanced equipment that ensures highly accurate data, the full laboratory comprises three focus areas: a psychrometric lab, a noise vibration harshness (NVH) lab and an electronics lab.
- The psychrometric lab allows Bosch to measure the performance of its air-conditioning units in multiple configurations.
- The NVH lab measures the sound of the AC unit, which gives Bosch the ability to test the unit’s decibel and determine what adjustments will achieve a quieter product.
- The electronics lab measures, tests, and simulates the behavior and performance of the electronic devices in the unit (the “brain” of the units). Bosch develops and produces numerous software prototypes for its connected products, which then are uploaded to the product’s “brain” and tested. Bosch can measure the performance of the software to see how fast end users are able to access the app and its information.
The sound lab gives Bosch the ability to test the unit’s decibel and determine what adjustments will achieve a quieter product.
“Being able to test Bosch air-conditioning units within this facility will provide real-time, highly accurate field data, accelerating product development,” said Goncalo Costa, director of air conditioning at Bosch Thermotechnology. “Product development is an intricate process, and combining these three labs will give Bosch greater agility as well as a competitive edge in the market.”
According to Mensuetti, “We want to be ahead of the megatrends.”
The new headquarters is just 50 miles south of its previous office in Londonderry, New Hampshire, which Bosch still uses for operational functions, including finance, customer service, training, warehousing and purchasing. The Bosch Thermotechnology facility in Florida remains unchanged.
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