Customized solutions to better serve client's demands
Shanghai, China, July 19, 2005 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today that it has signed a contract worth more than $13 million with SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Co. Ltd. (SGMW) to provide a powertrain assembly system for its new engine plant in South China's Guangxi province.
"Our ability to engineer, purchase materials and assemble systems in China provided us with a significant competitive advantage in the market," said Bill Bradbury, global lead center manager of powertrain assembly, ABB Automation Technologies . "The advantage, along with strong account management from our sales organization, helped us win the order. I believe this type of advantage will allow us to continue to develop profitable market share in Asia and provide our European and North American lead centers with a cost-effective solution for their local markets."
SGMW is the first automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) joint venture established in China after the country's entrance into the World Trade Organization. Located in Liuzhou of Guangxi, the company's new engine plant will produce small petrol engines. With the completion of its phase one project in 2007, the plant will have an annual capacity of 300,000 engines. Its production capacity is expected to exceed 500,000 per year when its phase two project goes into service.
The powertrain assembly line provided by ABB consists of sub-assembly lines which set the cylinder heads and pistons together, as well as cold and hot test workstations. In order to meet the high requirement of SGMW, ABB in Shanghai adopted the most advanced modular machine concepts and integrated robots, for high a quality product flexibility, and space saving shop floor arrangements.
"SGMW has shown a great deal of trust in the ABB brand," said James Li, head of ABB Automotive Industry and Front-End Sales in China. "They need state-of-the-art technologies and advanced powertrain assembly systems, which we are proud to deliver."
ABB is moving into the dominant position in China's powertrain assembly market. Its Powertrain Assembly (PTA) global lead center started operation in China in 1996. ABB relocated its PTA center to Shanghai because of the rapid demand growth in the Chinese and Asian markets. It has successfully executed major assembly line projects for Dalian Diesel Engine Assembly Line, Wuxi Diesel Engine Assembly Line, SVW Petro Engine, SGM Engine Assembly System and FAW-VW Cylinder Head.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impacts. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 102,000 people worldwide. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including manufacturing, R&D, sales and service, with 8,000 employees, 23 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 30 cities. To know more about ABB, visit www.abb.com.cn.