ABB combines UK automation and instrumentation companies

Citation

(2000), "ABB combines UK automation and instrumentation companies", Assembly Automation, Vol. 20 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2000.03320dab.002

ABB combines UK automation and instrumentation companies

ABB combines UK automation and instrumentation companies

Keywords: ABB, Automation, Instrumentation

ABB, the global technology group, is combining its UK automation and instrumentation companies to create a single customer-driven industrial IT organisation. It will be a single source of supply for process instrumentation and control, analytical products and systems, motors and drives, industrial robots, turbochargers, industry-specific automation solutions and comprehensive professional services designed to increase customers' productivity and competitiveness.

The new combined operation will be known as ABB Automation Ltd and will employ over 1,600 people. David Denton, currently in charge of automation activities, has been appointed managing director. Mike Mason, currently in charge of instrumentation activities, will take the role of sales and marketing director responsible for strategic accounts.

According to ABB this is more than just about combining two companies. It is a leapfrog move in response to market trends, customers' preferences, and a new way of thinking about industrial IT and its role in optimising the total business enterprise by delivering real-time information and automation.

David Denton, managing director, says: "This will consolidate our position as a major force in automation solutions for the UK market both now and in the future. We are currently number one or two in all the product areas and sectors in which we are active, now is the time to make the whole portfolio work even harder by promoting and selling our combined expertise in total automation solutions and building on areas where we have technology advantages and capabilities."

According to Denton: "Customers view our current automation and instrumentation products as inter-related and want to deal with a single organisation able to offer integrated solutions to their industrial IT needs. By pooling resources we will be able to enhance service and support functions, avoid internal market overlap and exploit new opportunities such as eBusiness."

One of the key features of the reorganisation is a targeted approach to sales and marketing channels built around customer relationship marketing, strategic channel partners and eBusiness. Mike Mason, sales and marketing director, strategic accounts, comments: "In today's connected economy, the key to success is value-added solutions and simplified sales interfaces. The new structure will ensure maximum responsiveness to customers' needs and new ways of working."

ABB says it is strictly "business as usual". A special project team comprising key ABB personnel and external HR and change management consultants is in place to manage the phased implementation.

"We have always put customers at the heart of our business activities", asserts David Denton. "We will be designing our processes to suit customers' current and future needs, tailoring our business functions to support these processes and building a structure capable of delivering these functions – a truly customer-centric organisation."

For further details please contact: ABB Ltd, Orion House, 5 Upper St Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9EA. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7753 2000; Fax: +44 (0) 20 7753 0204.