ABB’s upgraded medium voltage manufacturing base in China becomes a global model
Xiamen, China, March 6, 2009 – ABB, the world leading power and automation technology group, announced today the opening of the state-of-the-art Flexible Metal Sheet production line and the automatic switchgear assembly line in ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd. It enables ABB to further improve manufacturing capacity, flexibility as well as quality of its medium voltages products in China. The new enhancements not only address the increasing demand for quality medium voltage electric products in China and overseas markets, but also fulfill ABB’s commitment to continued investment in China and to develop alongside the nation.
ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd is a global medium voltage manufacturing base of ABB. With an innovative process and a comprehensive upgrade for the switchgear production lines, ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd has dramatically improved its level of automation, efficiency and capacity. The company has installed the most advanced production lines for switchgears, circuit breakers and metal sheeting as well as an automatic assembly line for switchgears.
Bernd Muehe, head of the Power Products division of ABB North Asia Region and ABB China, said, “ABB has been long committed to improving the strength, technology and capacity of ABB’s local facilities in China through continuous technology transfer, localized innovation, and capacity expansion. Through our sustained efforts, we are leading the development of the domestic electronic and related industries.”
The Flexible Metal Sheet (FMS) production line for producing switchgear housing is a complete non-manned processing system, consisting of two independent centers, combining punching & shearing and auto bending. The digitalized system controls the equipment via computer, resulting in 24-hour nonstop operation and improving metal sheeting production capacity by 35% over 2007, or enough metal sheeting for 20,000 units of switchgears each year with a probability of increasing to 30,000 units annually.
The state-of-the-art switchgear assembly line, was jointly developed, designed and manufactured by ABB and a professional company in Italy. With a high degree of automation, reliability and safety, the line, which is capable of producing 15,000 units per year, cuts the cycle time of switchgear production by half and better addresses customer demand by further reducing the lead time.
Established in 1992, ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd., ABB’s first joint venture in China, has maintained rapid growth momentum through excellent localized operations and technology transfer and has already become one of the largest manufacturers of medium voltage switchgears and circuit breakers in the world. Its products are shipped not only throughout China but also to over 40 countries and regions around the world. In Oct. 2008, the company moved its Apparatus Profit Center into a modern workshop located in the Information and Photoelectricity Park of Xiamen and upgraded the facility for medium voltage products through the adoption of the most advanced production lines in the world in order to meet customer demand and contribute to the development of China’s economy.
ABB Xiamen Switchgear Co., Ltd. has consistently ranked among “China’s Top 10 Electric Companies” and is the leader of China’s medium voltage switchgear industry. With the pioneering introduction of core products, the UniGear ZS1 switchgear and the VD4 vacuum circuit breaker, into the China market in 1993, the company has unified and enhanced industrial standards, greatly pushing forward the development of the power industry. Currently, the company has a production capacity of 20,000 units of medium voltage switchgears and 50,000 units of circuit breakers every year, extensively deployed in various industries and a number of key projects in China, including Beijing’s Grand Hall of the People, the National Grand Theater, the new CCTV Tower, Shanghai Baosteel, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, the Three Gorges Project, China National Offshore Oil Corp and Shell Petrochemical Plant, Guangzhou Metro and Capital Airport Rail as well as many Olympic projects in Beijing, in addition to being exported overseas. With its professional, efficient and outstanding project management, after service and its optimal products featuring high quality and reliability, ABB has set and maintained a number of industrial records in the medium voltage switchgear sector, ensuring the reliability of power distribution for power grids and a variety of industries and helping industrial customers improve business performance.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including R&D, manufacturing, sales and services, with 15,000 employees, 27 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 60 cities. To find out more about ABB in China, visit www.abb.com.cn.