ASEA

From Asea to ABB

In August 1987 the Swiss BBC Brown Boveri and also the Swedish Asea declared that both businesses were to unify under the name Asea Brown Boveri - - ABB.

Asea's history, however, goes back to 1883. BBC Brown Boveri was founded in 1891.

Asea - Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget

Elektriska Aktiebolaget I Stockholm was set up in January 1883. The firm was supposed to make dynamos and electrical lighting gear, founded in the styles of the young engineer Jonas Wenstrom. The creator of the business was Ludwig Fredholm, a Stockholm entrepreneur.

In 1890 the firm merged with Granstroms & Wenstroms Elektriska Kraftbolag, whose company was initially to construct electric power plants for transfer and industry. This business have been established in 1889. Among its creators was actually Goran Wenstrom, brother of Jonas. The brand new business was named Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (the abbreviation Asea was to be used afterwards). The business headquarters were situated in Vasteras.

In 1889 Jonas Wenstrom began to produce his threephase setup, which comprised the entire chain generator, transformer and motor. In 1893 Asea assembled Sweden's first threephase power transmission (with a power of 300 h.p. as expressed within the system employed in those days) over an extended length (15 km), between Hellsjon and Grangesberg. Asea led towards the electrification of residences, industry and also the railway system in Sweden. As great BRITAIN, Denmark, Spain and Finland subsidiaries were setup such nations.

The critical line between Stockholm and Gothenburg with locomotives and converter stations from Asea was opened for visitors in 1926, and also the world's then biggest naturally cooled transformer (45 MVA, 136 kV) was furnished in 1932. In exactly the same year Asea got AB Svenska Flaktfabriken.

Throughout the 40's and 1950s Asea continued to grow together with the electricity industry, the mining and metal sectors, and transportation organizations, both private and stateowned, being significant clients.

In 1952 the world's first 400 kV AC transmission between Harspranget in northern Sweden and Hallsberg in the south entered into support. Since Asea with the assistance of highpressure technologies effectively created manmade diamonds in 1953 the first business within the world.

The planet's first commercial HVDC transmission between the island of Gotland and also the Swedish mainland was commissioned in 1954. A significant variety of overseas subsidiaries were established throughout the '60s, and HVDC technology was launched within america. In 1965 Asea Atom received the order for Sweden's first commercial nuclear power-plant, according to light-water technologies, Oskarshamn 1. Orders for comparable nuclear power plants were also obtained from Finland through the 70s. Asea furnished nine of the 12 Swedish nuclear reactors. The very first industrial robot was launched on industry in 1974.

Throughout the 1980s Asea ranked among the planet's ten biggest electrical engineering teams. The Nordic area and Europe accounted for twothirds of the organization's turnover. The firm focused firmly on electronics and robotics. Asea was the world leader in the HVDC area. Through Flakt the firm was likewise a leader within the environmental area.

In 1986, the year prior to the merger with BBC Brown Boveri was started, Asea employed 71,000 people and reported earnings of US$ 6.8 billion and earnings after financial items of US$ 370 million. Exports represented 70 percent of the income.

BBC Brown Boveri Ltd was founded in

1891 by Walter Boveri and Charles Brown. Building of BBC's first plant, a generator factory, began in exactly the same year in Oerlikon, Switzerland, where ABB's main offices are found now.

At the start of the century BBC played a critical part within the electrification of Europe's railway system, which began when BBC at its own peril electrified a 20-kilometer line for the Swiss Federal Railways. The brand new business in the beginning began to produce steam turbines. Prior to World War 1 BBC provided the planet's biggest steam turbine (40,000 h.p.). Steam turbines became BBC's biggest and most significant product. As a result of small size of the national market BBC shortly set up subsidiaries throughout the planet, just by means of the chief operations remaining in Switzerland and Germany.

In 1986 BBC Brown Boveri reported earnings of SEK 58 billion and earnings after financial items of SEK 900 million. The Group employed 97,000 individuals, with 18,000 in Switzerland and 35,000 in Germany.

Asea BBC = ABB

On 10 August, BBC Brown Boveri and 1987 Asea declared th in both businesses were to unify and form in the year end a business to be named ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. The brand new business, with headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, was supposed to be possessed on the 50 / 50 basis by BBC Brown Boveri and Asea. The brand new group, which commenced operations on 5 January, 1988, had earnings of US employed 160 and $ 17-billion, 000 individuals throughout the world.

Asea's President Percy Barnevik was appointed President and CEO and BBC's President Thomas Gasser Deputy CEO. Asea's Curt Nicolin and BBC's Fritz Leutwiler became CoChairmen. Bert-Olof Svanholm was named President of the Swedish ABB.

Just following the statement of the merger, Asea got a majority position within the telecom and industrial group Elektrisk Bureau A / S.