ABB to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity in Switzerland

ABB, the power and automation technology group, will expand its high-power semiconductor manufacturing plant in Lenzburg, Switzerland. The 150 million Swiss francs investment plan includes construction of new buildings and installation of additional manufacturing lines at the existing ABB Semiconductors plant. The expansion is expected to be completed by 2010 and is aimed at further strengthening ABB's leading market position.

"This upgrade is part of ABB's ongoing commitment to technology and innovation and will enable the introduction of a new generation of high-power semiconductors with significantly better performance characteristics," said Peter Leupp, head of Power Systems, ABB Group, commenting on the project. "It will also widen the scope of application of high-power semiconductors across a range of products, resulting in greater energy efficiency."

The expansion will substantially increase the production capacity at the Lenzburg unit to help meet market needs, at the same time maintaining the company's high standards of quality and delivery. The expansion of the facility at the present site will help harness synergies and ensure the optimized utilization of the specific infrastructure required for the production of these high technology products, including the clean room technology and research and test laboratories.

ABB's Lenzburg plant is its leading manufacturing unit for high-power semiconductors found at the heart of many leading ABB technologies such as High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission systems and variable speed drives.