ASEA
Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (English translation: General Swedish Electrical Limited Company; Swedish abbreviation: ASEA) was a Swedish industrial company.
 | |
 ASEA HQ in Västerås | |
| Type | Publicly traded aktiebolag |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electrical engineering |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Defunct | 1 January 1988 (merged with Brown Boveri to form ABB) |
| Successor | ABB Group |
| Headquarters | , |
History
ASEA was founded in 1883[1] by Ludvig Fredholm in Västerås as a manufacturer of electrical light and generators.[2] After merging with Wenström's & Granström's Electrical Power Company (Wenströms & Granströms Elektriska Kraftbolag) the name was changed to Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, literally the "General Swedish Electrical Limited Company", or ASEA for short.[2]
In 1987, it announced a merger with the Swiss company Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) to form ABB Group.[1][3] ABB Group began operations in 1988. After this merger, ABB Group acquired several companies, including the power transmission and distribution operations of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation and the Combustion Engineering Group.[1]
- 1889 - the partner Jonas Wenström creates 3-phased generators, motors and transformers.
- 1933 - The company removes the swastika from its logo, due to the symbol's association with Nazi Germany.[2]
- 1953 - ASEA creates the first industrial diamonds.
- 1954 - HVDC Gotland project, first static high-voltage DC system
- 1960s - ASEA builds nine of 12 nuclear plants in Sweden.
- 1968 - ASEA’s elevator business gets acquired by Kone
- 1974 - Industrial robots are introduced by ASEA
- 1987 - Acquires Finnish Oy Strömberg Ab
- 1988 - Merges with BBC Brown Boveri, Asea Cylinda laundry appliances branch bought by Finnish furniture maker Asko, renamed Asko ASEA.
Business management
CEOs
- 1883–1891 – Ludvig Fredholm
- 1891–1903 – Göran Wenström
- 1903–1933 – Sigfrid Edström
- 1934–1942 – Arthur Lindén
- 1942–1949 – Thorsten Ericson
- 1949–1961 – Åke Vrethem
- 1961–1976 – Curt Nicolin
- 1976–1980 – Torsten L. Lindström
- 1980–1988 – Percy Barnevik
Chairman of the Board
- 1891–1891 – Ludvig Fredholm
- 1892–1909 – Oscar Fredrik Wijkman
- 1910–1914 – Oscar Wallenberg
- 1914–1933 – Sten Ankarcrona
- 1934–1949 – Sigfrid Edström
- 1949–1956 – Thorsten Ericson
- 1956–1976 – Marcus Wallenberg
- 1976–1991 – Curt Nicolin
See also
- ASEA IRB - robot
- Sigfrid Edström
- Uno Lamm
- Asko
References
- Crainer, Stuart. ""A.B.B., the Dancing Giant" by Kevin Barham and Claudia Heimer". strategy+business. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
- "Tämä ei enää olisi mahdollista: ASEA myi sähkötarvikkeita hakaristin voimalla" [This would no longer be possible: ASEA sold electrical supplies under the power of a swastika]. Kauppalehti (in Finnish). 4 October 2018. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
- "BBC-Brown, Boveri and Asea Announce Merger". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
Further reading
- Jan Glete, Asea under hundra år: 1883–1983: en studie i ett storföretags organisatoriska, tekniska och ekonomiska utveckling. (Västerås, 1987). (in Swedish).
