Largest ABB Show on Earth Gets Underway April 29 – in Houston

HOUSTON, TX, February 5, 2007. . . It’s big, it’s full of energy, technology -- and content that helps customers get where they want to be! It’s a comprehensive conference and exhibition where everyone attending knows, buys, uses, or is interested in ABB solutions. And it’s the largest customer event of its kind for ABB, and among the largest single-company automation fairs in the world.

Read on below for a full profile of the 2008 ABB Automation World Conference & Exhibition, being held April 29 – May 1 at the Hilton Americas, Houston, TX.

Over 2,500 People Expected

Over 2,500 customers, channel partners and ABB employees are expected to register for this year’s event, which includes participation from all five (5) Divisions of ABB.

The show has its roots in creating a forum able to serve industrial power and automation industry end users and specifiers looking for ways to improve their productivity and energy usage. That makes it possible for any industry professionals who work in the electrical chain -- from power generation to transmission to deployment of electricity into and through industrial and commercial plants, buildings and applications -- to see and learn about their particular set of interests and needs.

And that is why the theme of the show this year is “The Power of Collaboration!” It brings these end users together with a host of industry experts and ABB product personnel from virtually all of ABB’s North America Region LBUs (Local Business Units).

“The exchanges at the workshops, exhibits and business forums often are intense, with end users asking hard questions and searching for the best possible solutions to their processes and applications,” notes Enrique Santacana, President and CEO of ABB Inc.

Appeal to Prospects and Existing Customers

So how does ABB explain to prospects and customers why they should attend Automation World? Well, here are at least 10 of the top reasons:

* Learning and personal growth;

* Hands-on training with certificates;

* Becoming more productive and incurring lower costs;

* Access to key industry experts;

* Meeting with ABB product-development experts;

* Minimizing asset lifecycle costs;

* Learning about new technology;

* Getting more from current (automation) investments;

* Making contacts and networking with peers; and

* Learning the power of collaboration.

How the Learning is Organized

There are at least three structured ways in which attendees access a front-row seat to ABB’s groundbreaking technology, solutions, and demonstrations.

1. Workshops & Technical Training – this year, there will be 305 workshop presentations available for attendees to choose from. These range from Industry Specific Workshops to free Technical Training Workshops, to Customer Case Study Workshops. Content ranges from profiles on the most recent direct-current transmission technology, to meeting seismic standards with drive controls for motors. Customers and ABB personnel present information, and then take questions from participants. Technical Training sessions are scheduled to last for two- and three-hour sessions.

2. Exhibits – more that 40,000 square feet of a giant hall will be opened throughout virtually the entire three days, so that end users can get a firsthand look at ABB’s technology, services and solutions.

And it’s more than just ABB; Technology Partners, who work closely with various LBUs, have exhibits on hand, too, so that visitors can see how ABB works alongside vendors to deliver the best product solutions ABB can create.

Previous Automation World attendees call this combination of workshops and exhibits a powerful one-two punch, with each reinforcing the relevance of the other.

3. Business Forum– senior managers from customer and prospect companies are invited to attend these sessions, held during the same times as the technical workshops. This forum focuses on not-technical challenges, such as planning, procurement, maintenance and management activities; and on issues such as strategic planning, and trends to anticipate in technology and the global economy.

General Sessions for all attendees include profiles from senior executives of ABB about where the business is going, including addresses from Fred Kindle, CEO of ABB. And IBM, along with guest speakers from fellow worldwide companies, will detail how ABB works in partnership with them on a global scale.

Fun, Too!

The Customer Advisory Board and planning team for Automation World ensure that attendees get a chance to network, too. Evening events for each day of the show include a Welcome Reception & Dinner, an Exhibitor Reception, and an Offsite Reception at nearby Minute Maid Park (home to the Houston Astros).