Welcome to ABB

About ABB

ABB Our story

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader inpower and automation technologiesthat enable utility and industry customers to improve performancewhile lowering environmental im-pact. The ABB Group of companiesoperates in around 100 countriesand employs about 100,000 people.

ABB is headquartered in Zurich,Switzerland. ABB Ltd shares aretraded on the stock exchanges inLondon/Zurich, Stockholm,Frankfurt and New York.

More than half of ABB’s revenuescome from European markets. Asia and the North and SouthAmerica regions each contributeabout one-fifth, with the balancecoming from the Middle East and Africa.

The ABB Group was formed in 1988,when the Swedish Asea and theSwiss BBC Brown Boveri mergedunder the name ABB. Asea’s historydates back to 1883. BBC BrownBoveri was founded in 1891.

Visit us on the web:www.abb.com/about

1890Elektriska Aktiebolaget merges withWenströms & Granströms ElektriskaKraftbolaget, later shortened to Asea.

1891 Charles E. L. Brown and Walter Boveri establishBrown, Boveri & Cie in Baden, Switzerland.Shortly afterwards, Brown, Boveri is the firstcompany to transmit high-voltage AC power.

“ABB’s power and automation technolo-gies help our customers get the most out of their power grids and factories.Together with our customers, we contri-bute to economic growth, environmentalstewardship and societal development.”

ABB’s business has a very clearfocus: our products, systems, so-lutions and services are designed to strengthen power grid reliabilityand improve industrial productivity.

Our aim is to drive profitable growth– both for ourselves and our custo-mers. By becoming more efficient,we can increase customers’competitiveness.

Every day, ABB produces and shipshundreds of thousands of products,ranging from tiny low-voltage switches and drives to huge trans-formers weighing over 1,000 tons.

We provide our utility and industrycustomers with high-efficiency, energy-saving products and systemswhich allow them to get the mostfrom their grids and factories, whileat the same time lowering environ-ment impact. Together with our customers, we contribute to eco-nomic growth, environmental stew-ardship and societal development.

Our history of innovation goes backto the late 19th century, and we

remain firmly committed to this pioneering approach to industrialtechnology.

We recognize that innovation, supported by strong investment inresearch and development, is key to maintaining our cutting-edgetechnologies and strengthening our market leadership positionstoday, and in the future.

As a global company present in about100 countries, our manufacturingand research activities are carriedout in all regions of the world.

Wherever our facilities are based,customers know the ABB brandstands for top quality power andautomation technologies, a pio-neering spirit that ensures we fulfill their business needs, and a company that is at home wherever it operates.

Fred Kindle, President and CEO,ABB Ltd

Fred Kindle, President and CEO, ABB Ltd

Keeping the power flowing

1895Within four years of setting up, BBCdelivers its 1,000th electrical machine.

Industries we serve with powertechnologies:AutomotiveCement, minerals and miningChemical industriesCommercial and industrial buildingsConsumer industries Electric utilitiesGas utilities Marine and turbochargingMetals and foundry Oil and gasPetrochemicalsPharmaceuticalsPower generationPulp and paperRefiningSystem integratorsTele and data communicationWater utilities

1893Asea builds the first three-phase transmission system in Sweden.

Power technologies

“Power is the lifeblood of our society, and the fuel of theworld economy,” says Peter Smits, head of ABB’s PowerTechnologies division. “We cannot afford blackouts. ABB’spower technology products, systems and services ensurethat power plants and power transmission and distributiongrids operate reliably.”

1900 BBC expands abroad and establishes itsfirst foreign subsidiary in Germany.

1932Asea builds the world’s largest self-cool-ing transformer and expands its fanbusiness by acquiring AB SvenskaFläktfabriken.

1933BBC obtains a patent for turbine rotorsconstructed of individual steel disks thatare welded together.

Did you know?No. 1: ABB is the world‘s marketleader in power technology transmission and distribution.

World‘s longest high-voltage underground cable: The AustralianMurraylink used ABB’s HVDC Light technology and won an environmental award.

World‘s biggest light switch: ABBholds the world record in switchinghigh current - 200,000 Amps - withits generator circuit breaker using a new type of self-blast technology.

ABB produces 350,000 – 400,000distribution transformers a year,1,200 power transformers and hun-dreds of thousands of instrumenttransformers.

Experience, innovation and dedicationModern power systems are based on highly sophisticated and complextechnologies. Dedicated scientists,innovative engineers and experiencedbusiness leaders ensure ABB powersystems operate reliably. ABB has built its reputation on thesecapabilities.

Invention and innovation have a longtradition at ABB, and this pioneeringspirit still drives us today.

Breakthrough technologyRecent breakthroughs include ourHVDC Light technology, which allows for high-voltage direct currenttransmission both underground andunderwater, and opens up new possibilities for improving stability in power grids.

T&D leaderOur utility and industrial customersaround the world rely on provenpower technologies, researched,developed and made by ABB. Inpower transmission and distribution

ABB is the recognized leader, with a world market share of some 20 percent.

Blackout challengesThe power grids of the 21st centurymust incorporate such high-endtechnology if they are to meet all the challenges that lie ahead. Theblackouts of 2003 served notice onthe utilities, and demonstrated to the wider public, that power gridsare vulnerable. In many countries,deregulation has all too often under-mined the will to make necessaryinvestments in high-end technology.

Faster and fasterABB not only provides superiorpower products, systems and ser-vices, but something else that is justas important to customers - speed.Short delivery times, supported byour commitment to be the fastest ineverything we do. Power consumersaround the world do not want towait, and should not have to wait,one moment longer for a reliablepower supply.

Visit us on the Web:www.abb.com/ptp

Raising productivity and lowering energy costs

1953Asea is the first company in the world tomanufacture synthetic diamonds.

1944 BBC continues to innovate in locomotivetechnology with the development of thefirst high-speed locomotive with drivingshafts fitted exclusively in bogie frames.

Industries we serve with automation technologies:Automotive CementChemicalsCommercial buildingsConsumer industriesData communicationElectric utilitiesFoundryGas utilitiesIndustrial buildingsLife sciencesLogistics systemsMarineMetalsMineralsMiningOil and gasPaperPetrochemicalsPower generationPrintingPulpRefiningSystem integratorsTelecommunicationWater utilities

Automation technologies

Did you know?ABB ships more than one millionautomation technology productseach day from 100 manufacturingsites all over the world.

ABB has installed more industrialrobots than any other supplier(nearly 120,000) and contributes to the production of every majorautomaker in the world.

ABB analytical instruments helpscientists manage the environment,taking measurements of changes in the earth’s ozone layer from asatellite over 600 kilometers inspace.

ABB variable speed drives reduceCO2 emissions by 68 million tonsa year, more than the annual emissions of Finland.

“With ABB’s vast process expertise and broad portfolio ofindustrial solutions, we can help our customers increase theproductivity of their assets while reducing the amount ofenergy they consume,” says Dinesh Paliwal, head of ABB’sAutomation Technologies division.Solutions made simpleABB is a global leader in automationtechnologies. We enjoy both marketand technical leadership in our businesses, which include electricalmachines, drives and power electronics, low-voltage products,instrumentation, controls and robotics, and have an installed basevalued at more than $100 billion.

Our customers use ABB products,systems, software and services to automate and optimize their industrial, commercial and utilityoperations.

Quality and reliabilityABB’s customers operate diverseand sophisticated plants. Discretemanufacturers like carmakers, orprocess producers like pulp andpaper makers, need the most reliableequipment and control systemsavailable. Since product quality istheir competitive edge, our job is todeliver products and services thathelp them keep that edge.

Lower energy costsBeyond improving quality and productivity, most ABB automation

solutions have the added benefit of helping customers save energy.Our high-efficiency motors and drives reduce the amount of electri-city consumed in industrial plants.Our marine propulsion systems cutfuel costs for large cruise liners by upto 15 percent. Our turbochargersboost engine output up to threefold,while saving gasoline or diesel fuel.Our control systems serve as the“brain” that optimizes complex plantprocesses.

Looking aheadThe future of automation researchand development will be guided bycustomer demand and ABB’sIndustrial IT approach – to linkinstalled products and systemstogether with the information neededto operate and maintain them.Remote access to information aboutthe performance of installed devices,combined with wireless networkingand open communication standards,will offer ever-improving asset visibil-ity to enterprise managers.

Visit us on the Web:www.abb.com/atp

1963The first data transmission at carrier frequency is sent by BBC over a 735-kVhigh-voltage line to a power station control unit.

1974Asea invents and launches one of the first industrial robots.

1984Installation of the first of nine BBC generators in the world’s largest hydroelectric power station at Itaipú in Brazil.

Research and Development

ABB technology is the backboneof many industriesTake your car, for example. It’s very likely that ABB robots helpedassemble the car you drive, in operations ranging from precisionmaterial handling, spot welding andproduction of assembly units to theapplication of high-quality, environ-mentally-friendly paint finishes.

Or the newspaper you read. Ourmost recent studies show more than85 percent of pulp and paper mills in the world have ABB productsinstalled and running. It could be atransmitter, a transformer or a complete automation system, but apart of the process depends on ABB.

All of this equipment is powered byelectricity which probably passedthrough a substation using ABBtransformers, switches or circuit

breakers, which may in turn be controlled by our substation auto-mation or network control systemsfor reliable, environmentally-friendly,cost-effective power transmission.

Increasing productivityABB’s research is concentrated on providing world-class devices,systems and services in power andautomation technology, the corecompetence of the group.

ABB is building the foundation offuture product development withintensive research in the areas of power device technology, powertransmission and distribution applications, power electronics,mechatronics and robotics applications, control systems andoptimization, automation networksand devices, software architectureand processes, advanced materialsand manufacturing technologies.

Sharpening our competitive edgeABB’s portfolio of more than 16,000patents worldwide is constantlyreviewed and updated by our 6,000R&D engineers and scientists.

ABB’s Corporate Research Centersinvestigate the cutting edge of powerand automation technologies. ABB’sglobal labs are in Raleigh, NorthCarolina and Wickliffe, Ohio in the

United States; Västerås, Sweden;Baden, Switzerland; Ladenburg,Germany; Krakow, Poland; Oslo,Norway; Vaasa, Finland; Bangalore,India; as well as new research facilities in China, located in Beijingand Shanghai.

A global network also links ourexperts with scientists at prestigiousuniversities and research institutionsaround the world, where we monitorthe frontiers of technology to spotopportunities for our customers.

ABB/university cooperationUniversities are the incubators offuture technology. The goal ofABB/university cooperation is to create a network that illuminates new technologies of interest to ABB,to shorten development times bycombining our research resourceswith university research, and torecruit and train talented people.

Some of the collaborative projectsunderway include research on materials, sensors/micro-engineeredmechanical systems, robotics, controls, manufacturing, software, oil and gas, distributed power andcommunication.

For example, ABB recentlyannounced a long-term strategic collaboration with Imperial College in

1989ABB acquires some 40 companies in its first year, including the power transmissionand power distribution businesses ofWestinghouse Electric Corporation.

1988Asea and BBC merge to form ABB(Asea Brown Boveri Ltd), one of thelargest electrical engineering companiesin the world.

1990ABB commences a large-scale programof expansion in central and easternEurope after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989.

London to look for joint approachesin the development of optimal powerinfrastructure, reliable power grids,and optimal manufacturing and customer processes.

ABB maintains long-term strategiccollaborations with CambridgeUniversity, the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, CarnegieMellon University and StanfordUniversity in the United States andthe Federal Institute of Technology in Switzerland.

ABB also collaborates with morethan 50 other universities, includingChalmers University and the RoyalInstitute of Technology in Sweden,RWTH Aachen, the TechnicalUniversity Berlin and KarlsruheUniversity in Germany, and TsingHua University in China.

Award-winning researchABB researchers have been recog-nized and given awards for innovativerobot programming, safeguardingpower transmission systems, creatingfaster and more efficient automationsystems, improving electrical insulation, and finding industrialapplications for nanotechnology and wireless technology.

Visit us on the Web:www.abb.com/technology

Did you know?ABB’s System 800xA makes traditional control systems moreeffective by making all automationfunctions available in a single userand engineering environment, sothat plants and mills run smarter at substantial cost savings.

ABB has a wide area grid management system to stabilizepower transmission, while our flexible AC transmission systemsmaximize transmission and protectinstalled grids.

ABB has pioneered a simple way of programming robots by usingaugmented reality, in which anoperator can see program inputsoverlaying the object being worked on.

ABB’s Azipod podded electricpropulsion units improves ships’maneuverability and have loggedmore than 1.3 million hours of operation with a nearly perfect(99.75 percent) performance recordin vessels ranging from icebreakersto car ferries and cruise ships.

1998ABB acquires Elsag Bailey ProcessAutomation, the largest acquisition in itshistory, to become the market leader inthe global automation market.

1999/2000 ABB divests its power generation andtransportation businesses.

2001 ABB initiates transformation to focus on its core businesses, forming customer-specific divisions.

Sustainable development

A key element of our businessAt ABB, sustainability means seeking a balance between eco-nomic development, environmentalstewardship and social progress.Sustainability is built into differentaspects of our business, including the manufacture of energy-savingproducts, systems and solutions, thesharing of technology throughout ourgroup, particularly with developingcountries, and joining multilateralefforts to raise living standards indeveloping countries.

Our contributionOne of our main contributions to sustainability lies in the strong environmental performance of ourproducts over their complete life

cycles. Using life cycle assessments,we supply products and systemsthat require less material, havegreater efficiency and consume lessenergy, which means lower levels of harmful emissions – particularlyduring long operating lifetimes.

The triple bottom line approachABB follows the guidelines of theGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI) – an international, multi-stakeholderundertaking supported by the UnitedNations. The GRI guidelines arebased on a measurable “triple bottom line” reporting approach –covering environmental, economicand social performance. We reportaccordingly in our annual Sustain-ability review.

Common effortsABB is involved in a wide range ofcommon efforts, partnering with othercompanies and non-governmentalorganizations in projects around theworld. These include joint sustain-able development projects in ruralparts of Africa, where ABB provideselectrification expertise, and an initiative among leading internationalcompanies to embed the protectionand promotion of human rights inbusiness activities.

Visit us on the Web: www.abb.com/sustainability

Did you know?The HVDC Light power system thatis unique to ABB has no electro-magnetic field, lowers transmissionlosses for connected AC grids, uses enviromentally friendly oil-free cables and – because it canrun underground or underwater –avoids unsightly overhead lines.

ABB turbine generators driveFinland’s largest windfarm, locatedin the Gulf of Bothnia. It is one ofmany windfarms that use ABB technology.

Chinese environmental authoritiesare using ABB water quality monitoring and analysis systemsto help reduce river pollution.

ABB supports local schools andcommunity projects with moneyand facilities in countries such asBrazil, India and South Africa, aspart of its global social program.

2003ABB increases spending on Researchand Development to strengthen corebusinesses. New R&D centers open inIndia and Singapore.

2002ABB combines its four core businessdivisions into two – Power Technologiesand Automation Technologies.

2004ABB outlines new China strategy,strengthening its positon in key Asianmarkets. Divestment program of non-core businesses continues.

ABB on the Web

Are you a customer seeking quickinformation about ABB’s productsand services? Or an investor, journalist or researcher looking forthe latest information about ABB?

ABB’s Web pages provide a wealthof in-depth information about ourproducts, systems, solutions andservices.

Customers can also access technicalspecifications, a local sales contactor an expert in their area of interest.And, of course, you can order ABBproducts online.

The Web site also serves otherstakeholder groups with news andinformation about ABB, including the latest financial details, researchdevelopments and group sustain-ability policies.

A media section devoted to journa-lists and researchers includes pressreleases, speeches, webcasts, anddownloadable pictures of our peopleand technology – an up-to-datelibrary for publications and news services.

Another section is designed forinvestors, financial analysts andshareholders, and includes shareprice information, SEC filings, historical data, analyst presentations,credit ratings and contacts.

Two of the cornerstones of ABB -technology and sustainability – feature strongly on the Web site. And for those seeking employment,our careers portal provides details of jobs on offer and careerprospects.

In total you will find more than50,000 pages of facts, details andinformation about ABB and what we have to offer.

Visit us at www.abb.com

Contact us at www.abb.com

www.abb.com

ABB LtdCorporate CommunicationsP.O.Box 8131CH-8050 ZurichSwitzerlandTel: +41 (0)43 317 7111Fax: +41 (0)43 317 7958

Contact us at www.abb.com

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