Product category:
Industrial Drives/Controls
News Release from: ABB Automation Tech (Drives and Motors)
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 February 2002
Wind of change for AC drives in HVAC
market
A GBP 500,000 investment to restructure the UK HVAC market for AC drives has been unveiled by ABB, leading to a major shake-up of the sector.
A GBP 500,000 investment to restructure the UK HVAC market for AC drives has been unveiled by ABB, leading to a major shake-up of the sector Part of a global initiative, the UK pilot project will see the introduction of a dedicated HVAC team, tailored products and services and an industry specific distributor network, all of which ABB claims will be a first for the UK HVAC market
Responding to extensive customer market research, ABB's HVAC team offers 22 dedicated drives service support engineers throughout the UK and access to five application engineers with expertise in pump, fan, chiller and compressor applications.
Mike Carman, formerly leader of Control Techniques' HVAC group, heads the team and is joined by Graham Abbott, formerly Business Development Manager, HVAC, at Danfoss.
Complementing this HVAC team will be dedicated distributors who will be knowledgeable in building services solutions.
They will stock, sell and service HVAC related products such as air handling units, chillers, fan coils, ventilation systems and pumps.
They will also be able to package these products with AC drives.
In addition, the HVAC distributors can supply and install AC drives and associated HVAC equipment as well as being proficient in issues such as serial communications.
"Research shows customers want people who understand buildings, HVAC and drives; who have all the answers; and who can react immediately to enquiries and deliver, regardless of the customer's location.
We have looked hard at the findings and have risen to the challenge by investing heavily in ensuring we have the right quality and quantity of personnel available to service this market sector", says James Haigh, Senior Vice President, Drives, ABB, UK.
"We believe now that no other UK drives supplier can offer, in HVAC, the level and depth of expertise and coverage that we now give".
ABB's ambition in HVAC is driven by an ARC report which indicates that while ABB are clear global leaders in AC Drives across all sectors, with close to 12% market share, it does not yet lead the HVAC market.
In the USA, however, ABB does dominate in HVAC, with some 30% market share.
ABB plans to re-use its US model around the world, adapting it to suit local market research findings and aiming to become European number 1 in HVAC.
ARC forecasts that HVAC will be the fastest growing market for AC drives over the next five years, accounting for 12% of all AC drives sold.
Part of the reason for this growth is a greater awareness of energy saving issues, spurred on in the UK by the Government's Climate Change Levy and a growing acceptance of AC drive technology and the significant climate control benefits it brings.
In the UK, ABB is the market leader with a healthy 18% market share across all sectors.
It intends to grow its business to 20% of the HVAC market within two years.
ABB's global presence in more than 100 countries will underpin service support for OEM customers.
OEMs can also benefit through ABB's internet based product selection, ordering and tracking tool, Business OnLine which speeds up the ordering of products and eliminates the need for fax and paper-based documents.
ABB has had a presence in the UK HVAC sector for the past 18 years, selling a badged product to a third party supplier.
But as part of the restructuring, ABB is launching a dedicated product, the ACH range, designed specifically to meet pump and fan applications within the building services industry.
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