ABB to double workforce at Chennai centre to 1,200

NEW DELHI: Power and automation technology firm ABB today said it will double the workforce to 1,200 at its global engineering and operations centre in Chennai and open a new facility near Bengaluru.

"This expansion reaffirms ABB's commitment to India as a key growth market and an important resource base," ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer said after unveiling the company's plans to double staff at Chennai centre and opening new UPS facility near Bengaluru.

The centre, where workforce will be doubled to 1,200 over the next two years, brings together professional engineering resources under one roof, serving ABB units across the world from its base in Chennai, among the largest industrial and commercial centers in India. The move will increase the number of ABB employees in India to close to 10,000.

Addressing the company's Automation and Power World APW 2015 customer fair in the capital, he said: "Our focus in India will continue to be on organic growth, which we will drive by expanding our local footprint and strengthening our operations in line with the Make in India objective."

Established in 2007, the engineering and operations centre provides engineering support for all aspects of project management and business processes, including tendering, engineering, planning, procurement, functional system testing, installation supervision and commissioning.

ABB is also strengthening its local Power Protection Product Group with a manufacturing facility for the assembly of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

Starting this month, up to four frames per day can be locally produced on two modular UPS assembly lines at the plant in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bangalore, the company said.

According to the company, this additional local assembly unit will increase cost effectiveness and improve efficiencies. With the local sourcing of components, ABB's Power Protection product group improves price competitiveness while maintaining the highest quality standards.

ABB India employs more than 9,000 people, generated revenues of more than USD 1.3 billion in 2014 and invests around USD 100 million per year.

Its India Managing Director, Bazmi R Husain said that around 70 per cent of company's workforce in India are engineers and it will continue to invest here in coming years.

The company has 12 manufacturing facilities in India and 22 branch offices nationwide. These facilities serve the Indian market and export to countries all over the world.

ABB manufactures more than 100 products in India and has several centers of excellence devoted to developing solutions with global applications in both power and industrial automation.