HIGH VOLTAGE PRODUCTS PLANT BRINGS LEAN, FAST MANUFACTURING TO LODI

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HIGH VOLTAGE PRODUCTS PLANT BRINGS LEAN, FAST MANUFACTURING TO LODI
20 June 2005 - ABB (Power Technologies)

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, today inaugurates a new factory for high-voltage apparatus, located in the industrial area of San Grato near Lodi, Italy.

It is a greenfield factory and will be a focused factory for specialized, integrated high voltage switchgear, as well as a global centre of excellence for gas-insulated current transformers. The new facility replaces the historic factory of Officine Adda, and will employ 210 people.

'A new high-voltage products factory opening in Italy confirms the competitiveness of European manufacturing,' says Peter Smits, head of ABB's Power Technologies division. 'With the focused factory concept, we can calibrate our production sites to produce a specific range of products and utilize economies of scale and scope.'

The factory design supports ABB's concept of lean and fast manufacturing. Compared to the old facility, total surface area has been reduced by 66 percent. At the same time, productivity will be increased and throughput times cut by about half.

'We have built a highly competitive factory,' says Constante Piazza, site manager. 'It features high-tech laboratories and test rooms, and is a benchmark for safety and environmental standards.'

ABB has sold more than 2,000 integrated HV switchgear in 38 countries. A key market for this product is China, which alone has taken up more than 15 per cent of the output. The number of units produced has doubled in the last three years, and the market trend is still positive.

HV apparatus produced in Lodi are a key substation component, combining the functions of circuit breakers, disconnectors and instrument transformers in a single module, and thereby allowing considerable savings in installation and maintenance costs.

http://abb.com/uk

About: ABB (Power Technologies)
ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impacts. ABB in the UK operates from more than 20 locations nationally and employs around 2,500 people. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 105,000 people.

Power Technologies
The Power Technologies division serves industrial and commercial customers, as well as electric, gas and water utilities, with a broad range of products, services and solutions for power transmission and distribution. The portfolio includes transformers, switchgear, breakers, capacitors and cables, as well as high- and medium-voltage applications, many of which are also sold through external channel partners like distributors, system integrators, contractors and original equipment manufacturers.

Automation Technologies
The Automation Technologies division serves the automotive, building, chemicals, consumer, electronics, life sciences, manufacturing, marine, metals, minerals, paper, petroleum, transportation, turbocharging and utility industries. Key technologies include control, drives, enterprise software, instrumentation, low-voltage products, motors, robots and turbochargers. These offerings are supported by field maintenance and asset management services, and are sold both directly and through channel partners.

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