Bosch + Sohn GmbH & Co. KG

Bosch + Sohn GmbH & Co. KG, trading under the brand boso, is a German medical device company based in Jungingen in the Zollernalbkreis district of Baden-Württemberg. It specialises in the development and manufacture of blood pressure measuring devices for both professional use in medical practices and clinics and for self-measurement at home. The company traces its origins to 1889, when the precision mechanics Franz Josef Bosch and Albert Bosch founded the firm "J. & A. Bosch" in Strasbourg, initially focusing on scientific and optical instruments. It built its first blood pressure device in 1898 and, in 1905, produced the "Dr. von Recklinghausen's Tonometer," described as the world's first serially produced oscillometric blood pressure monitor. Over more than 130 years the business has grown into one of the leading international suppliers in blood pressure measurement, exporting its products to over 70 countries and employing around 100 people. Under the boso brand, the company offers a broad range of upper-arm and wrist blood pressure monitors, ambulatory and long-term measurement systems, and related diagnostic and wellness products such as stethoscopes and thermometers. Its devices are certified under the Medical Device Directive and tested against the criteria of the German Hypertension League and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). The boso medicus X upper-arm monitor was named best upper-arm blood pressure monitor by Stiftung Warentest in 2016, 2018 and 2020. The company states that 96% of German general practitioners, practitioners and internists work with boso devices in their practices. Bosch + Sohn has a strong record of technological innovation. Its boso TM-2430 PC 2 was used for several years aboard the International Space Station by the European Space Agency. Since 2007 it has offered the ABI-system 100 for measuring the ankle-brachial index, and more recently the boso TM-2450 with an extension for determining central blood pressure. The company remains privately held and is headquartered in Jungingen, where it has been based since the early twentieth century.

The origins of Bosch + Sohn go back to 1889, when the precision mechanics Franz Josef Bosch (1859–1929) and Albert Bosch (1864–1924) founded the firm "J. & A. Bosch" in Strasbourg. The company specialised in the development of scientific and optical instruments and received awards at world exhibitions in Paris (1900) and St. Louis (1904) for meteorological apparatus and seismographs. As early as 1898 it built its first blood pressure measuring device, and in 1905 it followed with the "Dr. von Recklinghausen's Tonometer," the world's first serially produced oscillometric blood pressure monitor. After the First World War the Strasbourg branch was closed in 1919. Albert Bosch returned to Jungingen in 1920 and in 1922 founded the firm "Bosch & Speidel" together with Albert Speidel. In 1926 this merged with the business "Keller & Bosch." The company developed rapidly into a European market leader in blood pressure measurement. In 1965 the business was split into the firms "Speidel+Keller" and "Bosch + Sohn." Bosch + Sohn GmbH u. Co. KG was led by Willy Bosch (1897–1975) and his son Edwin Bosch. The company concentrated on developing self-measurement devices and electronic blood pressure monitors, marketed under the brand "boso." In 1971 all boso devices were certified by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig. After Kurt Rädle took over the company in 1990, it invested more heavily in digital devices, long-term measurements and software solutions. Since 1995 all boso blood pressure monitors have been certified under the Medical Device Directive (MDD), confirmed by independent testing bodies such as Dekra. The products meet high quality standards and have been evaluated repeatedly in tests by Stiftung Warentest as well as the German Hypertension League and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). The company has always invested in innovative technologies. For example, the "boso TM-2430 PC 2" was developed and used for several years aboard the International Space Station (ISS) by the European Space Agency (ESA). Since 2007 boso has offered the "ABI-system 100," a device for measuring the ankle-brachial index that can indicate circulatory disorders. More recently the company introduced the boso TM-2450 with an extension for determining central blood pressure. Bosch + Sohn manufactures blood pressure monitors for both professional use in medical practices and clinics and for self-measurement at home. Besides blood pressure monitors, the company also distributes stethoscopes, thermometers and wellness products. Its products are exported to over 70 countries, and around 100 employees work at the company.

• 2020

  boso medicus X named best upper-arm blood pressure monitor by Stiftung Warentest (9/2020).

• 2018

  boso medicus X again named best upper-arm blood pressure monitor by Stiftung Warentest (11/2018).

• 2016

  boso medicus X named best upper-arm blood pressure monitor by Stiftung Warentest (5/2016).

• 2007

  boso introduces the ABI-system 100 for ankle-brachial index measurement.

• 1995

  All boso blood pressure monitors certified under the Medical Device Directive (MDD).

• 1990

  Kurt Rädle takes over the company; increased investment in digital devices, long-term measurements and software.

• 1971

  All boso devices certified by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig.

• 1965

  Company split into "Speidel+Keller" and "Bosch + Sohn"; Bosch + Sohn led by Willy Bosch and Edwin Bosch.

• 1926

  Merger with "Keller & Bosch."

• 1922

  Albert Bosch founds "Bosch & Speidel" with Albert Speidel in Jungingen.

• 1919

  Strasbourg branch closed after World War I.

• 1905

  "Dr. von Recklinghausen's Tonometer," the world's first serially produced oscillometric blood pressure monitor, introduced.

• 1904

  Award at the St. Louis world exhibition.

• 1900

  Award at the Paris world exhibition for meteorological apparatus and seismographs.

• 1898

  First blood pressure measuring device built.

• 1889

  Franz Josef Bosch and Albert Bosch found "J. & A. Bosch" in Strasbourg.

Premium German medical device brand for blood pressure measurement, trusted by physicians and patients for certified quality and innovation.

• boso medicus X

  Upper-arm blood pressure monitor, repeatedly rated best by Stiftung Warentest.

• boso TM-2450

  Blood pressure monitor with extension for determining central blood pressure.

• boso TM-2430 PC 2

  Ambulatory blood pressure monitor used aboard the International Space Station by ESA.

• ABI-system 100

  Device for measuring the ankle-brachial index, offered since 2007.

1. 1Gesundheit ist Vertrauenssache. blutdruckmessen ist boso. - bosoboso.de
2. 2Bosch + Sohn - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Bosch + Sohn - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org