- The new smart building is part of a major investment in the location totaling 40 million Swiss francs
- It will help the company strengthen its leading position in the power electronics market
- This key technology will help boost energy efficiency in future markets like mobility, industry and renewable energy sources
Local political figures and the media were on hand today as ABB broke ground on its new construction project, which will house a multi-purpose building at the Untersiggenthal location in Switzerland. The building project is part of ABB’s largest investment in Switzerland over the past ten years, totaling 40 million Swiss francs. By 2023 a smart building will be constructed with around 500 workstations for research and development, sales and service as well as project management. It is also designed to meet the highest collaboration, innovation and sustainability standards.
Space for 500 state-of-the art workstations
This is ABB’s investment in the modernization and consolidation of its global competence center for power electronics, a key technology for more efficiency in mobility, industry and the generation of renewable energy. Power electronics are tailored to specific applications to enable the highly reliable and efficient conversion of power into the desired form. They are used in traction converters for trains, e-buses and trams as well as in converters for wind or hydropower stations or in variable speed drives for motors that enable significant energy savings and quality improvements.
“ABB’s Untersiggenthal site impressively shows how solutions can be developed for the global market right from the high-tech Canton of Aargau,” said Stephan Attiger, President of the executive of the Swiss Canton of Aargau. “We are very pleased with the constructive collaboration between politics, local authorities and business that has helped continue this exciting success story.”
“Great challenges of our time like climate change require technical solutions that conserve resources. And we can play a key role in solving these problems from our Untersiggenthal site thanks to the innovative environment, qualified professionals, world-renowned universities and cooperation agreements with partners and customers,” commented Morten Wierod, President of ABB’s Motion business and Member of the Group Executive Committee. “So this is not only an investment in the location’s strengths, but also an investment in the future.”
Shaped by innovation and sustainability
As a technology company, ABB helps customers conserve resources, improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. ABB is also committed to ensuring all of its own operations are carbon-neutral by 2030. The new construction project in Untersiggenthal will make a substantial contribution to achieving this goal while clearly demonstrating to visitors the advantages of the ABB technologies used there: Intelligent building automation solutions will control applications such as room temperature, lighting and blinds. Frequency converters and high-efficiency motors will regulate HVAC systems, and the entire operation will be optimized using an energy management system. Among others, it will meet the Minergie/Minergie ECO standard for ecological building and efficient living, which includes using groundwater for heating and cooling, generating renewable energy via a photovoltaic system and ensuring the surrounding landscape design is modeled as closely after nature as possible.
ABB has developed and produced efficient, sustainable technology solutions for customers around the world in its Motion and Process Automation businesses, above all power generation, in Untersiggenthal. As a global competence center, Untersiggenthal plays a decisive role in the advancement of these technologies, since the proximity between research, development and production facilities fosters an optimal exchange of ideas and information. Renewing the location will drive innovation even more efficiently in the future.
ABB has operated the location since 1967. The company recognized the importance of electronics early on and focused its efforts and investments on the corresponding operations. Over the past years more than 150 jobs were created, meaning that the ABB site in Untersiggenthal now employs around 1,200 people.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
