125 years of helping Germany's industries to outrun
Web Story
3min
2025-07-07
The Brown Boveri company, Swiss forerunner of today’s ABB, hadn’t even reached its tenth anniversary when it won an order in 1900 from the city of Mannheim in Germany to build a power plant.
The location of the BBC in Mannheim-Käfertal at the beginning of the 20th century.
The commission came with a condition: BBC had to build a factory along with the power plant, to provide employment in the region.
From that one location, with 400 employees, BBC and latterly ABB, has developed into one of Germany’s most important technology companies and a trusted partner for Europe’s most highly industrialised economy¹.
Research into high-voltage direct current transmission in Mannheim Käfertal during the 1930s
Our engagement with German industries crosses an array of sectors: from urban transport to space science; from automating the production lines of world-famous auto-makers, to collaborating with pioneers in organic battery technology.
Today we employ around 8500 colleagues in 35 locations across Germany, such as our corporate research centre in Mannheim, helping to drive Europe’s largest economy2 with innovative solutions and partnerships.
We’re committed to enabling Germany’s industries to align with ambitious climate legislation framed to achieve net zero emissions by 20453.
And as ABB Formula E races in Berlin this weekend, showcasing the potential of cutting-edge sustainable technology, these pages highlight our role in enabling Germany’s industries to outrun – leaner and cleaner.
Some of our key projects in Germany
Mission to Zero factory in Lüdenscheid
Our Lüdenscheid factory in Germany is a showcase for how we strive to “walk the talk” with regard to energy efficiency in our operations.
Multiple initiatives enable the factory – a typical energy-intensive industrial multi-purpose site making products for electrical installation – to generate around 14% more energy on-site than it needs. Surplus power is fed to the public grid.
Lüdenscheid was unveiled in 2019 as a test bed for turning sustainability ambition into action under the Mission To Zero program.
A ‘Factory of the year’ award for optimized operations
Our commitment to optimize industrial processes was recognized last year with a Factory of the Year award for ABB Ratingen, which makes vacuum interrupters.
A focus on continuous development and automation were identified as key factors in Ratigen’s success and the award followed recognition in 2021 for ‘Outstanding series production’.
Hamburger Hochbahn
In 2019, Hamburger Hochbahn, in partnership with ABB, delivered the country’s first fully electrified bus terminal, housing 44 electric buses which have served 467 million passengers per year ever since.
Space Science
In collaboration with German space and technology company OHB System, we’re supporting the European Space Agency’s tenth Earth Explorer mission. The program’s two Harmony satellites, built by OHB and due to launch in 2029, will carry ABB measurement equipment.
Sustainability beyond industry
ABB in Germany has supported Special Olympics Germany since 2000. Special Olympics is the world's largest sports movement for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities.
Social progress is one pillar of ABB’s Sustainability Agenda, with community engagement central to lifting-up communities, workers and societies.
Our partnership with Special Olympics goes beyond purely financial sponsorship, as ABB employees are actively involved in the Special Olympics Germany Games at both state and national level. More than 3,600 employees have volunteered to date, helping to organize the many sporting events.
Sources:
1&2. KPMG: Economic Key Facts Germany
3. IEA Energy System of Germany