Bosch opens power tool warehouse in Tbilisi

German engineering giant Bosch is strengthening its presence in Georgia and will open a warehouse in Tbilisi to supply the region with power tools and accessories.

The 1,600sq m warehouse will begin operating on December 16.

Bosch commercial director in Georgia David Oker believed Tbilisi would become a regional logistical hub that will connect Armenia, Azerbaijan and Asian countries with one another.

"Tbilisi’s warehouses will ensure a good delivery performance as well as fast and cost effective handling of Bosch products in the region,” he said.

"Bosch believes that Georgia’s construction sector is developing very fast thus establishing a warehouse in Tbilisi will further support the sector’s development,” he said at a press briefing yesterday.

Currently, the region is supplied from a German-based warehouse.

"[Now], clients will not have to wait for two or three weeks for products,” Oker said.

He spoke about Bosch’s global operational prospects with the president of Bosch Group in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Central Asia Gerhard Pfeifer, and noted developments in the energy sector, particularly in Hydro Power stations and real estate and construction, would contribute to an increase in sales of Bosch power tools in the country.

Azerbaijan is the leader country in sales of Bosch power tools and accessories, followed by Georgia. Armenia took out the third position, said a company official.

Meanwhile, Pfeifer said the South Caucasus was a "strategic market” for the company.

"The region has very good framework for economy development, especially in Georgia. I believe Bosch’s investment are justified and continue investing in the future. Georgia has deal with corruption and bureaucracy and has created good investment climate,” he said.

The warehouse in Tbilisi will be managed by Austrian-based transportation and logistics company Gebruder Weiss.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In 2013, its roughly 281,000 associates generated sales worth €46.1 billion. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology.