ABB - Heart of the Business

ABB leads the world in power and automation technologies. The company manufactures many thousands of separate product lines, ranging from consumer units (used to regulate domestic supply) to specialist switchgear for pumping stations.

The West Midlands is the sales and distribution hub for ABB's low voltage products, serving its UK customer base. From its 1,672 square metre warehouse on the outskirts of Coventry, products are transported to wholesalers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial customers across the country. It is a complex operation, made easier by the company's strategic location at the centre of the UK's distribution network. Marketing Services Co-ordinator, Trevor Kirtley explains:

"Products arrive from ABB manufacturing plants across Europe. In the past, lead times could extend to eight weeks. Now they have been drastically reduced to 48-72 hours in most cases. We no longer hold large quantities of product in stock so reliable deliveries from our manufacturing plants are essential. Likewise, we pride ourselves on the quality of our service so we need to ensure efficient delivery to our customers. ABB is ideally placed for access to the West Midlands' motorway network, with Birmingham and Coventry Airports just a few miles away. For the sales team, Coventry is the ideal place to converge for sales meetings, as it is centrally located and accessible by road, air or rail."

ABB plays an important role in helping its customers to improve performance and minimise environmental impact. BMW Group Plant in Oxford, UK is saving £24,000 a year in electricity costs after ABB Compac-AC drives were installed to run pumps on its pre-treatment plant. One pump that was drawing 27kW of electricity only needed to draw 6kW once it was properly speed controlled by the drive.

The world's second largest fully-steerable radio telescope - the massive 76-meter Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, UK which is at the forefront of astronomical research - was fitted with ABB switchgear as part of a £2.3m upgrade to improve its sensitivity, frequency range and operational life.

And for the builders of the world's largest single masted superyacht - the Mirabella V - the lightweight construction of ABB's Isomax moulded case circuit breakers meant improved speed and performance. The product's ability to withstand extremes of temperature and high humidity was another important benefit.

Worldwide, Swiss-owned ABB employs more than 140,000 people and runs over 100 separate companies. For staff in the West Midlands, the challenge is to ensure that ABB sales and service match the superior quality of its products. And, with the benefit of world class communications and a strong local skills base, they are perfectly positioned to achieve it.

Interview given by Trevor Kirtley, Marketing Services Co-ordinator.

For more information about ABB, visit www.abb.com.