ABB Turbocharging rebrands as Accelleron

The new brand is part of ABB’s portfolio management strategy to operationally separate the Turbocharging division before a final decision is made between a sale or a spin-off of the business towards the end of the first quarter. Whichever path is chosen by ABB to separate the business, this process should be completed in the first half of 2022.

The new brand builds on the company’s legacy of over 100 years in turbocharging. The first practical application of turbochargers, which were invented by Swiss national Alfred Büchi, was for large marine engines built by Brown Boveri & Co. (now ABB) in 1924.

“Unveiling the Accelleron brand is a seminal moment for our business. We are proud about our heritage but are also excited about our next chapter of growth, providing cutting-edge technology and service solutions for our clients,” said CEO Oliver Riemenschneider, who will be succeeded by Daniel Bischofberger on March 1, 2022, rejoining ABB from Sulzer. In the case of a spin-off, Riemenschneider is expected to become Chairman of Accelleron.

One key market driver- in Accelleron’s industry is the trend towards decarbonization against the background of international and national regulations. For example, the International Maritime Organization’s goal of halving GHG emissions from ships by 2050 is driving demand for efficient and sustainable technologies. Upgrades and new net-zero carbon fuel technologies are expected to support the strategic direction of the business in the next years. Accelleron is leading technology and commercial prototype projects with alternative fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia.

Turbochargers enable significant improvements in efficiency, increasing engine output by up to 300 percent and thereby energy efficiency by up to 10%. Conventional engines would need to be up to four times larger without a turbocharger, which is an enabling technology for today’s large commercial vessels. Under ideal conditions, ABB’s turbochargers offer a further 2% improvement compared to the industry benchmark, amounting to US$1 million in lifetime savings for a large container vessel.

ABB’s turbochargers reduce fuel consumption and hence CO₂ emissions by an average of 405,000 tons per annum for the shipping industry alone, while also playing a crucial role in balancing power for national grids, power extensions in emerging economies and microgrids as well as back-up power for critical infrastructure, e.g. data centres.

Accelleron offers turbocharging technologies and optimization solutions for 0.5 to 80+ MW and has an installed base of approximately 180,000 turbochargers and a network of more than 100 service stations worldwide. In 2021, it achieved revenues of approximately US$750 million and has over 2,300 employees worldwide, of which roughly 800 are located at its headquarter and global R&D centre in Baden, Switzerland. It is preferred partner to an estimated 6,000 customers through its global service network in more than 50 countries.