Name:  ABB

        Address: Affolternstrasse 44 - PO BOX 8131 CH-8050         

City: Zurich, Switzerland

Board Chairman:  Juergen Dormann

Product: Power and automation technology

Phone: +41(0)43 317 7111   Year Founded: 1946

      The ability of drives to provide end users ever more precise, sophisticated control of their motors also is fuelling a corollary — growing demand for the training needed to install, start up and operate the equipment these motors control. Training is particularly helpful in illustrating the full array of features and capabilities built into each generation of drive products.
      Why are people signing up for training at headquarters?
      Managers and operators of plants and facilities, along with service personnel, have more choices than ever before of how to receive training. It ranges from web-based models, to computer-based training that utilizes CD packages, to remote training via videoconferencing, to regional-site or in-factory training.
      “At this juncture beyond 9/11, we are seeing these end users feel safer about flying — and they are signing up for in-factory training that lasts up to three days,” said Dave Polka, a training manager for ABB Low Voltage Drives (LVD) and Controls. Such training affords attendees a host of benefits, he noted, including these 10:

      Captive Attention — Away from their own offices, students are able to focus on the training programs, services and demos that are at their disposal, when traveling to a vendor site; it’s a “very focused timeout,” says Polka, “and that frees students to learn a lot; being freed from distractions and interruptions maximizes the experience.”
      Funded Support — Market Development Funds (MDF) are offered from LVD, in support of channel personnel who want to use their dollars to help defray travel and hotel expenses. All tuition fees and meals while in training are paid for by ABB.
      Dedicated Facilities, Equipment — Particularly at headquarters, training facilities are dedicated to exactly that. The array of equipment, training tables, presentation equipment, demos and serial communications networks is wide and deep; that provides students immediate access to a variety of drive models and configurations, as they move from curriculum to hands-on training.
      Subject Matter Experts — Training classes pull in subject matter experts from other areas of LVD, such as those from application engineering and serial communications.
      Access to Personnel — In addition to the training staff, students are able to visit contacts, experts and engineers throughout LVD, when they are on break, after classes end, and during social hospitality sessions. This is a unique opportunity to talk with factory personnel across the organization — from technical support to the general manager.
      Dyne and Testing Equipment — Beyond the drives and demos used for hands-on training, students visiting headquarters also see the dynamometer, lab and testing equipment used for competitive evaluations of other drives in the market. Information from these evaluations also are available to students during training.
      Full-plant Tours — Production cells, lines, concepts and product finishing are ever changing in the factory. Students have the unique opportunity to see up close HOW the drives that they install, start up and service every day are made and tailored for customers. “The factory has been literally re-invented over the last 18 months,” said Polka, “so students are surprised and very curious to see everything when we conduct tours as a complement to the classes. These tours are a favorite. It is so impressive that we know our channel partners who come for training vow to bring customers back just to see the production facility.”
      Update Certification — Beyond completing basic training curriculum, students also have a chance to stay an extra half day and update their certification for drives start-up. This benefits both students and drive purchasers. Students and the businesses they work for, can charge for drives start ups, and drives users who purchase their services receive a year’s extension on the drive’s warranty.
      Technical Sales Assistance — Beyond just training, students receive sales training; this includes watching a mock sales call, and presentations on how to grow your business, and how to expand a market or market segment.

      Add-on Training Courses — Web-Based Training (WBT) curriculum for ABB Low Voltage Drives distributors is showcased, too, for extended training beyond the classroom. Via a single click online from wherever users are, these courses on drive basics and drive products can be accessed and completed. “Every course is built to respect that users may be very sophisticated in what they know about drives, or a user might just be sitting down to learn for the first time,” said Randy Stevens, the E-learning specialist at ABB LVD who developed the initial coursework.
      ABB, Automation Products, Low Voltage Drives, is the world’s largest manufacturer of electric motors and drives. In the United States, an integrated channel of sales representatives, distributors, and system integrators allow ABB, New Berlin, Wisc., to supply a complete line of energy-efficient electric drives, motors and engineered drive systems to a wide range of industrial and commercial customers. Products manufactured include AC and DC variable speed drives for electric motors from 1/8th through 135,000 HP, and application-specific drive system solutions to meet diverse customer needs.

Mexico news

      ABB has won contracts worth $50 million for two projects to strengthen Mexico’s power supply.

      The contracts awarded by Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), the Mexican state-owned utility, will enlarge the transmission and distribution network in different parts of the country.

      “Our technology will help to ensure a reliable power supply to regions throughout Mexico,” said Bernhard Jucker, head of ABB’s Power Products division. “Our globally integrated engineering and production network makes us well positioned to take on projects of this scope, offering an important customer a complete package of technology and project-management expertise.”

      CFE generates, transmits and distributes electrical power to about 23.7 million industrial and household clients in Mexico.

      One project will involve ABB assembling and installing six 400 kilovolt (kV) air-insulated substations and other high-voltage equipment in the northern and south-eastern states of Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Coahuila, Veracruz and Zacatecas. The project is expected to be completed by April 2008.

      For the other project, ABB will supply 115 kV gas-insulated switchgears (GIS) to a substation in the state of Oaxaca. An accelerated process will ensure that the substation is completed in 13 months.

      The project also includes the construction and installation of power reactors at 1.8 megavolt amperes (MVA) and a 30-kilometer extension to a 115 kV transmission line. Equipment and components for both projects will be provided by ABB factories in Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Sweden and Switzerland.

      ABB has a history of supplying high-voltage technology to customers in Mexico. Currently, ABB is working on contracts worth more than $250 million with CFE and PEMEX, Mexico’s national oil company.