Abb Share Discussion Threads

[sheeneqa] 28/10/2005 10:10

3rd Quarter Results

RNS Number:2902T
ABB Ltd
28 October 2005


Q3 results rise sharply on operational improvements and stronger markets

* Double-digit order and revenue growth
* Group EBIT up 81 percent to $458 million, EBIT margin of 8.1 percent
* Net income almost doubled to $188 million
* Cash flow from operations higher despite reduced securitization
* On track to hit or exceed top end of 2005 group EBIT margin target

[sheeneqa] 26/10/2005 08:10

ABB's third quarter results for journalists, analysts and investors
ABB will announce its results for the third quarter 2005 on Friday, October 28, and host telephone conferences for journalists in the morning and analysts and investors in the afternoon.

[sheeneqa] 21/10/2005 08:24

First choice for waste-to-energy plants
2005-10-21 - Eighty percent of waste-to-energy plants in Denmark are automated by System 800xA or other ABB legacy automation systems. Fasan, a plant that turns the waste of 13 municipalities into environmentally friendly energy, is a case in point.

[sheeneqa] 13/10/2005 15:06

ABB robots cut global leader's costs by 30 percent
2005-10-13 - "By using ABB robots we lower our production costs by 30 percent," says Li-Yu Cheng, managing director of Juteng International, the world's largest painter of plastic components for the global laptop market.
By Editorial services
The Taiwan-based company bought its first ABB robot in 1996 to paint the plastic components for Compaq laptops in what was then a young and emerging market for portable computers.

Nine years later Juteng is the largest painter of plastic laptop components in the world. Its 82 ABB robots paint about 40 percent of the casings and other plastic and magnesium components for the millions of portable computers manufactured in the world each year. Customers include all the major brands like Apple, Dell, Hewlett Packard and Sony.

"By using ABB robots we lower our production costs by 30 percent," said Mr. Cheng, at a ceremony to mark an order for an additional 40 IRB 540 paint robots from ABB. It is this cost advantage over competitors that enabled Juteng to continuously attract more customers and build up its leading position.

Substantial savings and lower emissions

Calculations show that the IRB 540 is 20 percent faster and consumes 30 percent less paint than competing robots. Its exceptional dynamic accuracy and ability to cut overspray to the minimum give additional benefits in lower emissions and reduced after-treatment costs.

The robots have also enabled Juteng to set new industry standards for laptop component suppliers in China. When Juteng opened a factory in Suzhou near Shanghai in 2000 it pioneered the use of robots, thereby raising quality and reliability to a level that the industry quickly adopted as standard for suppliers in China and giving Juteng an additional competitive advantage.

About 65 percent of the robots that make plastic components for the world's PCs and laptops are made by ABB.

ABB going from strength th strength, only a matter of time for the shareprice to rise to a more realistic level......

[sheeneqa] 07/10/2005 08:04

ABB wins $60 million order to upgrade power plant in Kuwait
State-of-the-art technology will improve electricity and water supply
Zurich, Switzerland, October 5, 2005 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, said today it has won a $60 million contract from the government of Kuwait to refurbish a steam power plant and help meet increasing demand for reliable supplies of power and water.

Doha West is one of the largest desalination and steam power plants in Kuwait, providing one quarter of the country's power. Its power generation capacity is 2.4 gigawatts (GW), while its desalination units provide more than 150 million cubic meters of drinking water per year.

"ABB technology will improve the plant's performance and operating efficiency, and reduce life cycle costs for our customer," said Peter Smits, head of ABB's Power Technologies division.

ABB will extend the plant's lifespan by replacing old instrumentation and control systems with state-of-the-art ABB control technologies, including an Optimax plant performance package to help monitor and optimize fuel consumption, equipment operation and maintenance.

ABB control technology was originally installed when the Doha West plant was constructed in 1979. It is one of five power stations owned by Kuwait's Ministry of Energy, which in total have with an electrical generation capacity of about 9.4 GW.

[sheeneqa] 03/10/2005 14:17

ABB wins major contract for Thai Oil refinery
Revamping and new construction will exceed $100 million at Sriracha site
Zurich, Switzerland, October 3, 2005 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today it has won a contract worth more than $100 million from Thai Oil Public Company Ltd. to revamp existing facilities and install new production units at the Sriracha oil refinery on the Gulf of Thailand.

Sriracha refinery is the largest single-site refinery and one of the most complex oil processing facilities in Thailand, with a total capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It is located about 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok.

"This project highlights our ability to combine automation, electrical and energy technologies in integrated solutions for customers," said Dinesh Paliwal, head of ABB's Automation Technologies division. "These solutions will help the customer improve output and achieve new targets."

ABB will refurbish a crude oil distillation unit at the refinery to increase capacity from 16,000 to 24,000 tons per day, and revamp related equipment. In addition, ABB will install two new process units for removal of sulfur compounds from flue gasses and purification of kerosene including upgrade of relevant electrical and automation systems.

A task force from ABB's oil and gas business unit in Italy will manage the project over a period of 23 months, beginning with extensive pre-shutdown activities to balance the workload and minimize unit downtime.

[sheeneqa] 28/9/2005 10:49

ABB wins $52 million order for Rotterdam terminal automation
Zurich, Switzerland, Sept. 28 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, said today it has won a $52 million contract for automation and electrical systems to serve the new EUROMAX container terminal in Rotterdam, Holland. The project is ABB's largest single order to date for terminal automation equipment.

[sheeneqa] 26/9/2005 07:29

ABB robots behind global laptop boom
2005-09-19 - The chances are that the frame and casing of your laptop – 60 million of which will be manufactured in 2005 - has been machined or painted by an ABB robot.
By Editorial services

Laptop sales are booming. In 2004 some 46 million portable computers were manufactured worldwide; in 2005 that figure is likely to reach 60 million and exceed, in some key markets like the U.S., sales of PCs.

About 70 percent of the frames and casings of these laptops are machined or painted by ABB robots. Customers include Juteng International, Flextronics, Catcher and Foxconn who manufacture the components at facilities in Taiwan or China on behalf of major brands like Apple, Dell and Hewlett Packard.

Lower production cost

"By using ABB robots we lower our production costs by 30 percent," says Li-Yu Cheng, managing director of Juteng International, the world's largest painter of plastic laptop components.

Juteng International bought its first ABB robot in 1996 to paint the plastic components for Compaq laptops in what was then a young and emerging market for portable computers. Now Juteng has 82 IRB 540 robots and another 40 on order. The IRB 540 is 20 percent faster and consumes 30 percent less paint than competing robots – a significant cost benefit that has enabled Juteng to build up a 40 percent share of the global market.

Unique precision

The alternative to plastic is magnesium alloy, which is used for high-end laptops due to its superior material strength and better heat dissipation and electromagnetic wave shielding.

The de-burring of magnesium alloy components used to be done by hand. This meant that the quality of the machining varied from one operator to another. ABB patented an innovation in 2000 that made it possible to machine the components to a tolerance of less than 0.1mm. This gave the frames and casings the smooth, high-grade finish that end customers now demand as standard. Competing robots achieve a tolerance of 0.2-0.3 mm, which is rough and uneven by comparison.

Not surprisingly more than 90 percent of manufacturers of magnesium alloy components now use ABB's IRB 2400 foundry robot systems to achieve this precision and comply with the quality demands of their customers.

[sheeneqa] 13/9/2005 15:02

ABB helps Europe build a common power market
2005-09-12 - The European Union's long-term goal is to create a common energy market in which power supply between nations is secure, sustainable and commercially competitive. Two contracts for high-priority grid interconnections were recently awarded – both of them went to ABB.
By Editorial services
In 2003 the Trans-European Network of Energy (TEN-E) identified several high-priority interconnections that were deemed essential to secure power supply and enable cross-border energy trading between member states and neighboring countries of the European Union (EU).

They include new or improved power links across the Alps, Pyrenees and Balkans, and over the North, Baltic and Mediterranean seas. A key requirement of the directive is the integration of renewable sources of energy into the TEN-E network.

Towards the end of 2004, the contracts for two of these priority power interconnections that will link the Netherlands with Norway and Estonia with Finland were awarded independently to ABB.

Both links will use transmission and cable technologies invented by ABB - HVDC (high voltage direct current) and HVDC Light - that enable power to be delivered over long distances securely and sustainably. As a result, utilities and power exchanges in several countries will be able to harness the benefits of trading power across borders.

NorNed - a model for power exchange

NorNed, a HVDC transmission link that will interconnect the power grids of Norway and the Netherlands, will enable the NordPool (Nordic region) and APX (Netherlands) power exchanges to trade power depending on which exchange has the lowest price. This is expected to result in power flowing north to Norway at night, and south to the Netherlands during the day.

The link will also integrate renewable hydropower produced in Norway with the TEN-E network, as well as reduce the use of fossil-fuelled generators and emissions of CO2 in the Netherlands and stimulate the development of offshore wind power in the North Sea.

Rated at 600 megawatts (MW) but able to continuously deliver 700 MW, the 580-kilometer interconnection will be the longest underwater power transmission link in the world. ABB won the $270 million contract because its solution features exceptionally low transmission losses.

Estlink – integrating new member states into the EU

Following the admission of ten new member states into the European Union in 2004, the EU is eager to integrate the power grids of the ten with those of the 15 existing members. Estlink is the first such interconnection.

The link will integrate the power grids of the Baltic states with the Nordic region, and enable Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania to develop power trading markets and export their energy surplus to Finland and Sweden.

The 100-kilometer interconnection will use ABB's unique HVDC Light technology to supply 350 MW of power across the Gulf of Finland. HVDC Light is a sustainable technology that enables power of up to 350 MW to be delivered efficiently and economically over long distances and in sensitive environments. The entire link will be underwater and underground to minimize environmental impact, and will be delivered by ABB in the record time of 19 months.

ABB is the world-leader in cross-border interconnections and power trading technologies and is the only company with a complete offering, from HVDC cables and converter stations to software solutions that run the power exchanges of the world.

[sheeneqa] 06/9/2005 08:38

ABB announces mid-term target

RNS Number:8759Q
ABB Ltd
06 September 2005


ABB announces mid-term targets to 2009

Greater focus on business execution and value creation

Zurich, Switzerland, September 6, 2005 - ABB, the leading power and automation
technology group, today announced its new mid-term targets for the five-year
period from 2005 to 2009. The company also outlined a strategy that emphasizes
improved business execution and a broader approach to value creation, including
focus on growth, operating margin, use of capital and cash generation.

"ABB today is in a strong position and we can look forward to sustainable and
profitable growth," said Fred Kindle, ABB's President and CEO. "The targets and
actions we are announcing today are designed to build on our strength and secure
our competitive success over the next five years and beyond."

The new group targets reflect the company's continuing focus on revenue growth
and operational profitability as measured by earnings before interest and taxes
(EBIT). In addition, the targets include net margin, return on capital employed
and cash flow generation.

To support the execution of the strategy, the organization will be adjusted as
of January 1, 2006. One layer of management is being removed, with the two core
divisions replaced by their respective five business areas. A new function is
being introduced at the executive committee level to integrate the regional
organization more strongly.

"This is an evolution of our strategy, not a revolution," Kindle said. "We
remain focused on our core power and automation businesses. The strategy
involves a balanced approach to value creation by widening our focus beyond
growth to higher margins, greater return on capital, and cash generation. Above
all, the emphasis will be on better execution to deliver results more
consistently and reliably."

Summary of 2009 group targets1
Revenue growth 2005-2009 > 5% (CAGR2)
--------------------------- ------------------
EBIT margin > 10%
--------------------------- ------------------
Net margin > 5%
--------------------------- ------------------
Return on capital employed (after tax) (ROCE) Mid-teens
--------------------------- ------------------
Free cash flow as share of net income 100%
--------------------------- ------------------
1 Targets are defined in Appendix I of this release. 2 Compound annual growth
rate over five years from 2005 to 2009, excluding major acquisitions and
divestitures and assuming constant exchange rates.

"Our new targets for net income and cash flow are intended to put more emphasis
on our bottom line and our ability to convert profit into cash," said Michel
Demare, Chief Financial Officer. "The group target for return on capital
employed will provide a more complete picture of how we use capital resources in
the company and become a dynamic management tool to enhance value creation."
ROCE will also be used at the divisional level to establish target rates of
return for new investments, taking into account each business' EBIT expectation,
risk profile, volatility and capital intensity.

New organizational structure

The current two core divisions, Power Technologies and Automation Technologies,
will be eliminated, and their respective business areas will become the new
divisions as of January 1, 2006: Power Products (formerly the Power Technology
Products business area), Power Systems (formerly the Power Technology Systems
business area), Automation Products (as at present), Process Automation (as at
present), and Robotics (formerly the Manufacturing Automation business area). A
new function at the group level, Global Markets and Technology, will help to
drive execution of the strategy across national and regional borders.

Division targets

Division Revenue growth 2005-09* EBIT margin 2009
-------------- --------------- --------------
Power Products > 6% > 11%
-------------- --------------- --------------
Power Systems > 5% > 6%
-------------- --------------- --------------
Automation Products > 5% > 14%
-------------- --------------- --------------
Process Automation > 5% > 9%
-------------- --------------- --------------
Robotics > 4% > 9%
-------------- --------------- --------------

* Compound annual growth rate for the five years from 2005 to 2009, excluding
major acquisitions and divestitures and assuming constant exchange rates

As of January 1, 2006, the Power Products, Power Systems and Automation Products
divisions will be headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The Process Automation
division will be based in Norwalk, Connecticut in the U.S., while the Robotics
division will be based in Shanghai, China.

Management appointments

As a result of the change in divisional structure, the membership of ABB's
Executive Committee will change. As of January 1, 2006, the Executive Committee
will comprise Fred Kindle (President and CEO), Dinesh Paliwal (President, Global
Markets and Technology), Michel Demare (CFO), Gary Steel (head of Human
Resources), as well as new members Bernhard Jucker (head of Power Products),
Samir Brikho (head of Power Systems), Tom Sjoekvist (head of Automation
Products), Veli-Matti Reinikkala (head of Process Automation), and Anders
Jonsson (head of Robotics).

Jucker is currently ABB's country manager and head of the Automation
Technologies division in Germany. Brikho is the head of the ABB Lummus Global
downstream oil, gas and petrochemicals business and will retain this role in
addition to his new responsibilities. Sjoekvist is the head of the Automation
Products business area and Reinikkala is head of the Process Automation business
area. Jonsson is currently head of the Automation Technologies division in China
and is the operational excellence manager for the division worldwide. Brikho and
Jonsson will take on the leadership of their respective businesses starting
October 1, 2005.

In his new role as President of Global Markets and Technology, Paliwal -
currently head of the Automation Technologies division - will focus on tapping
the growth and profitability opportunities in key regions and trading areas. His
responsibilities will include ensuring ABB expertise and resources are applied
across national borders and that existing local support resources are used as
efficiently as possible. Paliwal will continue to be country manager in the U.S.
and regional manager in North America.

Peter Smits, currently head of the Power Technologies division, will assume the
role as country manager in Germany and regional manager of Central Europe.

Impact on financial reporting

The company will report its financial results according to the new divisional
structure starting in the first quarter of 2006 (historical divisional data for
full years 2003 and 2004 are provided in Appendix I of this press release). Also
starting with its 2005 annual financial statements, additional disclosures will
be made on the group's balance sheet to allow the calculation of return on
capital employed.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable
utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100
countries and employs about 103,000 people.

More information

ABB's mid-term targets press release and presentation slides are available from
September 6, 2005 on the ABB News Center at www.abb.com/news and on the Investor
Relations homepage at www.abb.com/investorrelations.

ABB will host a press conference and conference call for journalists, which will
also be Webcast, starting at 10:00 a.m. Central European Time (CET) today.
Callers from the UK should dial [phone]. From Sweden, dial +46 8 5069
2105, and from the rest of Europe, please dial [phone]. Lines will be
open 15 minutes before the start of the conference. The audio playback of the
conference call will start one hour after the end of the call and be available
for 72 hours: Playback numbers: [phone] (U.K.), [phone] (rest
of Europe) or [phone] (U.S./Canada). The code is 354, followed by the #
key.

A meeting, conference call and live Webcast for analysts and investors is
scheduled to begin today at 2:00 p.m. CET (8:00 a.m. EST). Callers should dial
[phone] (from the U.S./Canada) or [phone] (Europe and the rest
of the world). Callers are requested to phone in ten minutes before the start of
the conference call. The audio playback of the conference call will start one
hour after the end of the call and be available for 96 hours. Playback numbers:
[phone] (U.S./Canada) or [phone] (Europe and the rest of the
world). The code is 642, followed by the # key.

Important notice about forward-looking information

This press release includes forward-looking information and statements including
statements concerning the outlook, and revenue and margin targets for our
businesses. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and
projections about the factors that may affect our future performance, including
global economic conditions, the economic conditions of the regions and
industries that are major markets for ABB Ltd and ABB Ltd's lines of business.
These expectations, estimates and projections are generally identifiable by
statements containing words such as "expects," "believes," "estimates,"
"targets," "plans" or similar expressions. However, there are many risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual
results to differ materially from the forward-looking information and statements
made in this press release. The important factors that could cause such
differences include, among others, ABB's ability to dispose of certain of our
non-core businesses on terms and conditions acceptable to it, the terms and
conditions on which asbestos claims can be resolved, trends in raw materials
prices, market acceptance of new products and services, changes in governmental
regulations and costs associated with compliance activities, interest rates,
fluctuations in currency exchange rates and such other factors as may be
discussed from time to time in ABB's filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including its Annual Reports on Form 20-F. Although ABB Ltd
believes that its expectations reflected in any such forward-looking statement
are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that those
expectations will be achieved.
Appendix I

Targets defined
Revenue growth Compound annual growth rate for the five years from 2005 to
CAGR 2009, excluding major acquisitions and divestitures and
----------------- assuming constant exchange rates
---------------------------------
EBIT margin Earnings before interest and taxes as a percentage of
----------------- revenues
---------------------------------
Net margin Net income as a percentage of revenues
----------------- ---------------------------------
Free cash flow Free cash flow (cash flow from operating activities adjusted
----------------- for changes in financing receivables as well as net
investments in property, plant and equipment) as a percentage
of net income
---------------------------------
Return on capital EBIT (less tax), divided by the sum of fixed assets plus net
employed working capital*
----------------- EBIT (less tax) = EBIT x (1 - tax rate)
Tax rate = Provision for taxes / Income from continuing
operations before taxes and minority interest
---------------------------------
* The published financial statements for the full years 2004 and 2003 do not
present information in a manner that would allow the calculation of return on
capital employed as calculated by ABB above. Starting with the 2005 annual
financial statements, additional disclosures will be made on the group's balance
sheet to allow the above calculation.

Key divisional data 2003-20041
Pro-forma and unaudited

(US$, millions)
Division Revenues EBIT EBIT margin
2004 2003 2004 2003 2004 2003
Power Products 5,958 4,927 493 448 8.3% 9.1%
Power Systems 3,691 3,516 119 147 3.2% 4.2%
Automation Products 5,378 4,582 667 490 12.4% 10.7%
Process Automation 4,675 4,046 279 181 6.0% 4.5%
Robotics 1,382 1,417 81 66 5.9% 4.7%
Non-core activities and other2 2,091 4,712 -30 -462 n/a n/a
Corporate2 / consolidation -2,454 -2,773 -525 -513 n/a n/a
Total Group 20,721 20,427 1,084 357 5.2% 1.7%

1 Data for the five divisions shown in this table are not directly comparable
with previously published data because certain internal sales were previously
eliminated at the divisional level. In the table above, those sales have been
eliminated at the group level. 2 Real estate activities, previously reported
under Corporate, are now being accounted for in Non-core activities and Other.


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
MSCGLGDCRUGGGUL

[sheeneqa] 02/9/2005 16:33

ABB N (VTX:ABBN.VX)

Last Trade: 9.36 CHF
Trade Time: 4:31PM
Change: 0.13 (1.41%)
Prev Close: 9.23
Open: 9.22
Bid: 9.36 x 37206
Ask: 9.37 x 106083
1y Target Est: 9.30

Day's Range: 9.19 - 9.42
52wk Range: 6.01 - 9.27
Volume: 28,446,028
Avg Vol (3m): 9,279,312
Market Cap: 19.38 B
P/E (ttm): 5.47
EPS (ttm): 1.71
Dividend: 3.00 (26-Mar-01)

Now delisted from LSE and Frankfurt exch......
Up 30% since I started this thread added bonus of the chf looking like it is gathering strength, not bad in six months, hope the best is yet to come....

Nice low PE of 5.47

[sheeneqa] 30/8/2005 09:35

Climate change: how our technologies make a difference
Climate change is one of the biggest issues we all face. The degradation of the environment, pollution, reliance on non-renewable sources of energy, poverty and overpopulation are crucial problems, whose impact is more severe and noticeable than ever.
ABB's products, systems and solutions are designed to have the lowest possible environmental impact, as we press ahead with our goals of helping our customers strengthen power grids and improve industrial efficiency. At the same time, we work closely with suppliers and customers to ensure they demonstrate the same commitment.

[sheeneqa] 29/8/2005 17:59

ABB FACTS technology boosts productivity at world's steel mills
2005-08-24 - ABB's FACTS technology is helping steelmakers increase production to meet the boom in global demand for steel. In the past few months alone ABB has received orders for ten installations from steel mills all over the world.
By Editorial services

The orders are for static var compensators (SVC) for steel mills in eight countries – China, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey – and are part of an investment drive by steel producers to increase melt capacity and improve power supply to meet the surge in demand for steel.

Static var compensation is a comparatively straightforward way to boost steel production, because it does not require additional investment in other components in the steelmaking process. The SVCs that ABB designs for this application stabilize power supply and improve production capacity.

The ten orders are for existing and greenfield installations and range from 90 megavolt ampere (Mvar) to a record-breaking 310 Mvar for a greenfield mill in Turkey. This will be the largest SVC installation in a steel application ever, and considerably more powerful than the previous world record of some 250 Mvar.

ABB has delivered more than 200 SVC installations to the steel industry worldwide and has a pioneering tradition in the field as the innovator of both SVC and SVC Light®, the latter a unique technology that creates a smooth and stable voltage in the melting process and reduces flicker and harmonics to levels impossible to reach with conventional SVCs.

In China, SVC Light will enable Zhangjiagang Pohang Stainless Steel (ZPSS) to produce at full capacity at its new stainless steelmaking plant near Shanghai and simultaneously meet the stringent Chinese national power quality standards that regulate voltage fluctuations and flicker. Without SVC Light ZPSS would have to reduce production capacity significantly to stay within the legal parameters. This is ABB's first order for SVC Light in China.

SVC and SVC Light are part of ABB's package of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) technologies that enhance the security, capacity and flexibility of power transmission systems.

[sheeneqa] 22/8/2005 16:11

Picked, packed and palletized
2005-08-22 - ABB has launched two new dedicated robots for packaging lines and is now the only global supplier to offer a complete range of robots and software designed specifically for picking, packing and palletizing.
By Editorial services

The two new robots – the IRB 260 for packing and the IRB 660 for palletizing – join the IRB 340 high-speed picking robot which was launched in 2001 with ABB's dedicated packaging software platform, PickMaster.

"This adds up to a unique and complete robotics offering for packaging lines," says Klas Bengtsson of ABB Robotics.

"Each robot is designed for a specific packaging application – picking, packing or palletizing – and runs on the same software platform created specifically for packaging automation. This gives them considerable advantages over preceding versions in terms of reach, payload, cycle times and costs."

The IRB 260 packing robot, for instance, handles twice the weight for double the payload, and works 25 percent faster than its predecessor. And the IRB 660 palletizer has up to 55 percent more payload and a 15 percent faster cycle time, while handling more stations and with a significantly longer reach, than the preceding IRB 640.

"Add to this the fact that the IRB 340 is the fastest picker on the market with a cycle time of only 0.4 seconds and that all three share a common interface, and you have a very powerful robotics package," says Bengtsson.

Fastest picker on the planet

All three robots are state-of-the-art four-axis designs, compact and low weight for maximum payload, high speed and cost efficiency. They offer the following principal features:

IRB 340 – known as the fastest picker on the planet, the FlexPicker handles up to 150 picks per minute, moving objects from one location or conveyor to another at high speed and with exceptional accuracy, picking only perfect objects and ignoring defects.

IRB 260 – based on the IRB 2400, the largest selling industrial robot in the world, and specifically designed for tight packing cells. Small, compact, and lightweight the IRB 260 has a payload of 30 kg, double that of the IRB 2400 packing variant, and is 25 percent faster.

IRB 660 – available in two versions with a payload of either 180 kg at full speed or 250 kg at reduced speed, the IRB 660 can service up to four in-feed conveyors, two pallet stacks, one slip-sheet stack and four palletizing out-feeding lines. Reach has been extended from 2.9 to 3.15 meters and palletizing height to U.S. truck levels of 2.98 meters.

PickMaster 5.0 – ABB's unique and dedicated packaging software for picking, packing and palletizing installations is quick to commission, easy to operate and reliable to run with some 100 installations worldwide in the food, medical, pharmaceutical and electronics industries worldwide.

[sheeneqa] 15/8/2005 17:03

ABB switchgear ensures reliable power at Russian diamond mine
2005-08-15 - ABB switchgear is ensuring a reliable power supply at the giant ALROSA diamond mine in the polar circle of eastern Siberia, where the winters are up to nine months long and outside temperatures may drop to –70C.
By Editorial services

For ABB, the ALROSA contract is more than a chance to demonstrate durable products and services - it's a gem of a contract demanding the best ABB can offer in terms of quality, delivery, and given the extreme climate, the packing and transportation of its products.

It's also given ABB's Power Systems unit in Russia an opportunity to shine - using the first factory to produce locally ABB's UniGear ZS1 switchgear for the Russian market.

The total order from Russia's biggest diamond producer, ALROSA Co. is for 120 panels of 12-kilovolt UniGear ZS1 that will operate indoors at temperatures of at least –5C in two of its diamond processing factories.

ABB Power Systems in Russia delivered 80 switchgear panels in July 2005, completing the first phase of the contract, marking a significant milestone for ABB's new local focused factory for switchgear in Moscow.

The factory sealed a deal with ALROSA because of its ability to deliver locally-produced, cutting-edge products, whatever the logistical challenges.

New factory

Set up in late 2004, the factory boasts its own assembly, engineering, project management and service capability, plus a unique training center for its switchgear protection and control system REF 542plus, the only such training center in Russia.

REF 542plus offers an all-in-one combination of switchgear measurement, monitoring, protection, control and self-diagnostics.

Supporting ABB's concept of lean and fast manufacturing, the switchgear production line has delivered more than 20 orders, including more than 220 medium-voltage switchgear panels with REF 542plus.


The giant ALROSA diamond mine in the polar circle of eastern Siberia
One of the factory's most prominent customers, ALROSA is engaged in the exploration, mining, manufacture and sale of diamonds, producing 20 percent of the world's rough diamonds.

The region where ALROSA operates has a severe climate, but is also a treasure chest of mineral wealth. Geological surveys confirm ALROSA has diamond reserves big enough to maintain production at current levels for the next 50 years.

[sheeneqa] 11/8/2005 11:22

ABB electronic water meters control systems via SMS messaging
2005-08-10 - ABB's new GSM-enabled FieldIT AquaMaster water flow meter allows water utilities to perform flow measurement, configuration and diagnostics remotely using standard SMS messaging.

Accurately assessing consumption patterns
More and more utilities are beginning to explore the opportunities provided by GSm-based water flow meters to offer value-added services to customers. By assembling metering data, they can provide customers with profiles of their water consumption, helping them to identify likely problem areas or unexpected consumption in their water supply system.

By implementing the AquaMaster, industries can monitor their own consumption patterns. They can shut down water supply section by section in order to isolate the cause of excessive water consumption. Because of the AquaMaster's high time resolution such tests can now be performed in minutes rather than hours.

[sheeneqa] 08/8/2005 15:32

Shanghai Metro ensures reliability with ABB transformers
2005-08-08 - The metro of China's largest city has chosen ABB's RESIBLOC® dry transformers – renowned for their superior reliability and unique mechanical strength – to ensure a reliable flow of power to its expanding network.
By Editorial services

More than 100 RESIBLOC dry transformers have been selected to secure power distribution in two extensions to the expanding metro and light rail network that serves Shanghai's 17 million population: the 31-kilometer line 9 and the 22-kilometer extension to line 4.

Distribution transformers in China are all of the vacuum cast variety, with the single exception of RESIBLOC. Such is the predominance of vacuum cast transformers that tender documents invariably specify that no other type of transformer will be considered. ABB is then faced with persuading contractors to change the tender specifications and examine the alternative.

"We usually find that once the customer is prepared to look beyond the conventional type of transformer they find the benefits of RESIBLOC undeniably superior" says Jeffrey-Jian Ren, sales division manager, of ABB Shanghai Transformer Co Ltd., China.

Custom-made

In particular, RESIBLOC transformers are distinguished from vacuum cast alternatives by an unusual capacity to withstand short circuits, exceptional mechanical strength and customizable windings.

RESIBLOC transformers are made of pure epoxy resin reinforced with glass fiber rovings, a material of enormous strength that enables the transformers to withstand extreme mechanical stress and thermal shock.



"Once the customer looks beyond the conventional type of transformer, they find the RESIBLOC undeniably superior."
Sales manager Jeffrey-Jian Ren High and low voltage windings are bound together by multi-spaced ribs into a single, solid block to ensure that voltage is unaffected by short circuits or transformer movement.

And because they are not cast in molds like other transformers, it is easy to customize the windings to fit customer specifications.

RESIBLOC dry transformers are in operation in metros all over the world and in other demanding applications like automotive, marine, mining, oil and gas, petrochemicals and pulp and paper.

[sheeneqa] 04/8/2005 09:04

Delisting from Frankfurt and London exchanges due to lack of trading activity..





NorNed – a sustainability showcase for Europe
2005-08-02 - An ABB HVDC link will interconnect the power grids of Norway and the Netherlands and achieve a number of European sustainability objectives including the large-scale integration of renewable energy sources, a massive reduction in CO2 emissions, and exceptionally low transmission losses.

[sheeneqa] 28/7/2005 09:09

Q2 net income of $126 million
July 28 - ABB reported higher orders, revenues, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and net income in the second quarter of 2005 compared to the same quarter in 2004, resulting from continued growth in most markets and further progress in lifting operational efficiency.

[sheeneqa] 27/7/2005 14:13

2005-07-21 - ABB motors will power the new high-speed trains between the booming cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta, one of the most important hubs of China's economic growth.
By Editorial services

ABB was selected by Bombardier Transportation, the world's largest train manufacturer, to supply customized high-powered train motors for the 20 high-speed trains that will operate at speeds of up to 200 kilometers an hour.

China is investing billions of dollars to modernize the country's rail network and create high-speed links between major population centers like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

High on the list of priorities are projects that will improve transportation in the economic hubs of the Yangtze and Pearl river deltas, which together account for about 30 percent of China's gross national product.


The Pearl River Delta, population 40 million, has an annual growth rate of more than 16 percent, one of the highest in the world.
The 20 Bombardier trains, each with eight cars, will link cities and manufacturing centers on both sides of the Pearl River with a single, high-speed railway from Hong Kong to Shenzhen in the east, through Guangzhou and west to Zhongshan and Zhuhai.


Bombardier Transportation was awarded the $424-million contract by China's Ministry of Railways, and chose ABB to supply powerful 275 kilowatt motors. The trains are scheduled to enter service in 2010.

ABB and Bombardier Transportation have a long-term agreement in which ABB supplies the world's leading train-maker with motors, traction transformers, power semiconductors and other power and automation products.

[sheeneqa] 14/7/2005 12:20

ABB technology creates a vital natural gas link in Poland
2005-07-12 - Five compressor stations on the Polish section of Yamal-Western Europe gas pipeline are the most important projects ever built by ABB Zamech Gazpetro.
By Editorial services

The Yamal pipeline brings Russian natural gas to valuable markets in Western Europe, originating in the rich gas fields of the Yamal Peninsula in northwestern Siberia and stretching about 5,000 kilometers to Germany.

The pipeline crosses Polish territory for about 668 kilometers, and its new ABB-built compressor stations were a challenge in terms of design, construction, and execution, involving both domestic and foreign companies.

impressive stuff......

[sheeneqa] 08/7/2005 10:17

Getting ready for our next leg up...........

[sheeneqa] 06/7/2005 10:18

First FACTS for France
2005-07-06 - RTE, the French transmission system operator, chose ABB to supply the country's first FACTS system to stabilize a vulnerable and overloaded part of the French transmission network.
By Editorial services

The two static var compensators (SVC), part of ABB's market-leading portfolio of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), will improve voltage stability and transmission capacity in Brittany, the most unstable and overloaded part of the French transmission system.

This is the first time that RTE has chosen FACTS technology for the French transmission network, the second largest in Europe after Germany in terms of electricity transported - some 530 billion kilowatt hours a year.

ABB is the world's leading FACTS supplier and has delivered more than 600 installations worldwide, roughly 50 percent of the world market. The applications - based on power electronics and fast computer controls - are in strong demand by utilities, which are trying to stabilize grid systems and prevent blackouts.

The strategic network improvements came after a rush order RTE placed with ABB for 13 63 kV and 90 kV fixed capacitor banks for substations in the same area.

ABB agreed to deliver and energize all 13 banks within six months to help RTE improve reliability quickly prior to the installation of the SVCs. The delivery of the banks is some four months faster than the accepted industry standard. ABB is the leading supplier of capacitor banks worldwide.

[sheeneqa] 05/7/2005 09:34

Zurich, Switzerland, July 5, 2005 - ABB, the leading power and automation
technology group, said today it has signed a $2-billion, five-year revolving
credit facility agreement with a group of 20 banks.

The unsecured facility replaces the $1-billion credit facility that was due to
expire in November 2006. The new credit facility, based on terms typically found
in the investment-grade syndicated loan market, was oversubscribed by
approximately 60 percent. The funds will be used for general corporate purposes.

"This new agreement gives us greater financial flexibility at terms and
conditions that reflect our return to strong financial health," said Michel
Demare, ABB's chief financial officer. "I'm also encouraged by the positive
support from our partner banks for the new facility. It reflects the
re-established confidence that the financial community has in our operational
performance and the future of ABB."

Hope holders used this opportunity to top up............