Sticking, suction, claw care

When Bosch brought the Ixo onto the market, it was not only a technical but also a marketing stroke of genius. The handy little everyday help, the best-selling cordless power tool in the world, according to Bosch, has now been on the market for 15 years. This is cause for celebration, and Bosch has given the product an anniversary facelift, bringing it out in a sleek black livery with a decorative gold line. Originally conceived as a cordless screwdriver, its range of functions has been extended continuously by Bosch over the years. Now it can drive screws around corners, open wine bottles and even fire up the barbecue.
At its traditional trade press conference at the company's headquarters in the southern German town of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, close to Stuttgart, Bosch once again unveiled a plethora of new products and concepts. It aims with these to reach even more target groups in the future and cover additional aspects of living.
Take two examples of such items: the Gluey hot glue pen is geared to creative design enthusiasts. According to Henning von Boxberg, president of Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH, it is suitable for both small and large projects involving gluing. The traditional Bosch colours have been discarded in favour of glue pens sporting a range of five colours. This should deliver a clear message that this is not a power tool, but a product for turning creative ideas into reality, says von Boxberg. It is a product that would actually have fitted in well under the Dremel brand, but von Boxberg commented in the margins of the press conference that following lengthy discussion, the decision had been taken to keep it in the Bosch line.
The second example is the cordless window vacuum Glass Vac. "It is the most compact tool on the market," said von Boxberg. At just 22 cm in height, it is shorter than comparable rival models and can thus vacuum more easily into all corners and up to edges. A third example that demonstrates how hard the people at Leinfelden-Echterdingen are working to open up new target groups is the Dremel claw care kit for pets
There were some innovations to experience in the classic DIY sphere too, however. An easy-to-operate detection device is intended to make drilling safer. "It is the first digital detector for DIY enthusiasts that is controlled via a touchscreen and guides the user through each detection job with step-by-step instructions," commented von Boxberg. The product detects metal, live cables and drywall…