By investing about $170 million and creating ‘highly skilled jobs in manufacturing, innovation and distribution operations’,
ABB (a Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland) is accelerating its growth strategy in the USA — the company’s largest market, comprising 24% of its annual revenue.
ABB says it is committed to growing in the USA by investing in its electrification and automation businesses, while supporting the clean-energy transition and the trend towards reshoring of production, adding that this commitment was highlighted by the recent pouring of the concrete foundations for a greenfield ‘drives and services facility’ in New Berlin, Wisconsin.
ABB’s CEO Björn Rosengren said: “The USA is critical to ABB’s success as a market that will continue to grow and benefit from our product portfolio, one that enables the transition to a more energy-efficient future. Currently, 85% of ABB’s sales in the USA are from products produced locally, which provides customers with a more secure supply chain and keeps good paying manufacturing jobs in America.
“ABB technology touches every sector of the economy, from transportation to utilities to buildings. Recently passed legislation — like the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS Act, and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — gives ABB confidence to invest in manufacturing capacity, distribution systems, and technology innovation to bring products and services closer to customers.”
In addition to the facility in New Berlin, Wisconsin, investment projects underway across the USA include: $3 million in the opening of an Installation Products Research & Development Lab and Innovation Centre in Memphis, Tennessee; opening of a packaging and logistics facility for end-to-end robotic automation solutions in warehouse and distribution, retail, and logistics industries in Atlanta, Georgia; a $40 million investment in a new facility to manufacture Elastimold in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Elastimold is a leading brand for underground cable accessories, to support strengthening a more sustainable US electrical grid); also, the previously announced expansion of a North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility at Auburn Hills, Michigan (this $20 million investment will create 72 jobs and be completed by the end of 2023).
Other investments include the opening of an Installation Products Division Northeast Distribution Centre in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. This $4 million-plus investment will create more than 100 jobs and further regionalise ABB’s global supply chain. Also, the opening of an electric vehicle charger manufacturing facility in Columbia, South Carolina, to build up to 10,000 chargers per year. Ranging from 20kW to 180kW in power, these will support operators building the national charging infrastructure.
Michael Gray, ABB’s ‘US Country Holding Officer’, added: “The Inflation Reduction Act is triggering investment in clean energy and supporting businesses that can produce technology locally. More than ever before, ABB is designing and producing products domestically to serve our US customers, as they move toward more sustainable electric power generation, clean energy manufacturing, electric transportation, and industrial.”