ABB to build new cable factory in US

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today that it will construct a new factory in the United States to manufacture high-voltage land cables for power transmission.

The new plant will manufacture land cables for use in both AC and DC applications. ABB will invest approximately $90 million in the new manufacturing facility, which is expected to employ around 100 people. The selection process for the site of the factory is well under way.

“Cables play a key role in the efficiency and reliability of long-distance power transmission,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. ”The need to upgrade the existing transmission infrastructure in the United States, to provide grid interconnections and integrate more renewable power into the grid is driving demand for cables.”

ABB has been manufacturing polymeric insulated cables since the early 1970s and is a leading supplier of efficient, high-quality cable systems for a range of voltage levels. The company’s offering includes XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) insulated cables for use in high-voltage applications, up to 500 kV (kilovolt), that provide opportunities for energy-efficient power transmission. ABB has delivered more than 7,200 km of XLPE cables for voltage levels above 100 kV around the world.

ABB has pioneered power transmission technologies since the 1950s, when it delivered the world’s first commercial HVDC (high-voltage direct current) power link. The company developed HVDC Light in the 1990s, delivered the world’s longest underwater power link in 2008 and is currently connecting the world’s most remote offshore wind farm.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 117,000 people.

Source: ABB