ABB is to invest around $50 million to build new facilities in India to manufacture high-voltage products and transformers, enabling the local production of gas insulated switchgear and distribution transformers. The expansion is part of the company’s strategy to locally develop, manufacture and market products that meet the needs of the Indian market.
“This decision supports our in country for country approach and our business philosophy to locate production facilities closer to markets,” said Bernhard Jucker, head of ABB’s Power Products division. The facilities will be located in the western state of Gujarat and produce gas-insulated switchgear and PASS (plug and switch system) hybrid switchgear as well as dry-type and oil immersed distribution transformers. The facilities are expected to be operational by the end of 2012.
PASS is a hybrid switchgear product that combines features of air- and gas-insulated technologies. It incorporates the functions of a complete switchgear bay in a single factory assembled module, . Compared to conventional technology, it is said to require up to 60 percent less space, and and can be installed in a few hours.
The new transformer factory will manufacture vacuum cast coil dry-type transformers and oil immersed distribution transformers. It will extend the distribution transformer offering to 10 MVA, 33 kV and enable localisation of vacuum cast coil dry-type transformers.
