Bosch to Shut Sofia Engineering Centre, Cutting 670 Jobs

German industrial group Bosch announced it will discontinue operations at its Engineering Centre in Sofia by mid‑2027. The closure will affect roughly 670 employees, with about 400 positions slated for redundancy in 2026 and the remainder phased out by 2027.

The company cited unprecedented challenges in the global automotive sector – declining vehicle production volumes, rapid shifts toward electric and autonomous technologies, high prices and intense competition, and a lack of regulatory frameworks for innovations such as hydrogen – as the main drivers of the restructuring. Dan Lazarescu, CEO of Robert Bosch Bulgaria, said, "The automotive industry is experiencing one of the most significant transformations in its history."

Despite ending the engineering activities, Bosch affirmed its long‑term commitment to the Bulgarian market. It will continue operating through local sales, customer service, training for automotive equipment, power tools, home‑comfort and building‑technology divisions, as well as its digital solutions unit.