UK, March 7^th, 2016 – ABB builds on past successes to win switchgear contract for £200 million hospital that Laing O’Rourke is building for NHS Scotland

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has received orders worth £1.6 million for electricity distribution and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment for Dumfries and Galloway Hospital, which Laing O’Rourke is currently delivering to NHS Scotland.

During the project ABB will supply Emax 2 - air circuit breakers, XT / T Max moulded case circuit breakers, low-voltage drives, Protecta distribution enclosures (with S200 miniature circuit breakers and meters), plus UniGear medium-voltage switchgear. The project is one of the first UK implementations of the innovative Emax 2 switchgear, which sets new standards for performance and energy efficiency.

Throughout the project Laing O’Rourke is using modular construction to ensure fast delivery and to minimise risk with the target that the hospital will be ready to treat its first patients late in 2017. This modular approach extends to the electrical distribution and HVAC systems, which will arrive on site in the form of completed assemblies.

ABB will supply circuit breakers and other equipment via the panel builder E+I Engineering, as well as Protecta low-voltage distribution boards and drives to Barkell Ltd (an Airedale International Air Conditioning Ltd company), plus 112 low-voltage modular distribution boards via wholesaler Edmundson Electrical.

The project requires a high level of planning and co-ordination between the different sales and products teams within ABB, plus other members of the supply chain to deliver according to the complex schedule.

The deciding factor in the contract award was Laing O’Rourke’s confidence in ABB as a supplier, which was demonstrated in previous projects. These include Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, which Laing O’Rourke delivered in record time as its fastest ever hospital build project.

Building on its experience and expertise, ABB has modified the design of its power distribution boards to use a floor-mounted rather than wall-mounted solution. This will simplify installation and save time on-site, helping to reduce the overall cost of the project.

“Selecting the right partners means Laing O’Rourke is confident that Dumfries and Galloway Hospital will open its doors to patients on schedule in 2017. Laing O’Rourke selected ABB as supplier of electrical distribution and air handling equipment because of its track record of project delivery for us,” said David Keenan, CHt Project Director for Laing O’Rourke.

Other projects where ABB has supplied modular distribution boards include Queen Elizabeth Hospital, new-build prison HMP Oakwood, the Francis Crick Institute in London and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. This experience, together with the fact that ABB is the only firm that can offer a type tested solution for modular distribution boards, was central to the contract success.

Tony Marston, Local Sales and Marketing Manager – Electrification Products UK said: “The key to winning the contracts was that Laing O’Rourke had confidence that the different teams inside ABB and other members of the supply chain will work together seamlessly to deliver power distribution and HVAC equipment to the hospital construction site when it is needed. This is an excellent example of how business-led collaboration across ABB divisions, business units and channel partners can create value for ABB and our customers.”

_{ABB (www.abb.com) is a leading global technology company in power and automation that enables utility, industry, and transport & infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.}