Pekka Tiitinen News

ABB announced today acquired Gomtec GmbH to expand its offering in the field of collaborative robots. The parties agreed not to disclose financial terms of the transaction. Gomtec, based near Munich, Germany, is a privately held company that develops mechatronic systems combining mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, control and computer engineering for customers in diverse industries. It has 25 employees. Gomtec’s technology platform will strengthen ABB’s development of a new generation of “safe-by-design” collaborative robots that can be operated outside of cages or protective fencing, expanding opportunities to deploy them in new applications. Gomtec’s acquisition is another step in ABB’s Next Level strategy aimed at accelerating sustainable value creation.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has delivered and commissioned key components to integrate renewable energy from Amcorp Power Sdn Bhd’s Gemas 10.25 Megawatt (MW) Solar Power Plant into Malaysia’s electric grid as the country seeks to intensify its reliance on emission-free energy sources. Amcorp Power’s solar plant located in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, about 100 miles from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, is the country’s largest solar power plant and represents approximately 11 percent of its nearly 116 megawatts of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. ABB’s solar solutions will play an important role in Malaysia’s expansion of renewable energy and solar capacity to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and minimize carbon emissions.

Pekka Tiitinen, the global head of ABB’s Drives and Controls business, has been appointed to ABB’s Executive Committee as head of the Discrete Automation and Motion (DM) division as of Sept. 15, 2013. He succeeds Ulrich Spiesshofer, who is taking over as ABB CEO. Tiitinen (46), a Finnish citizen, has been responsible for ABB’s Drives and Controls business since it was formed in January 2013. Before that he was head of the global Low Voltage Drives business for 10 years, with a very successful track record particularly in China, the US and Europe.

ABB to acquire the Coalville, UK-based manufacturer of  drives, controls and motors for industrial and marine applications & automotive test rigs. Dynamotive has about 40 employees and is privately owned. ABB says its owners will continue to work for them. “The acquisition of Dynamotive will enable ABB to expand its service operations including upgrade and retrofit capabilities in low and medium voltage drives. Furthermore, it will help ABB to increase its sales of complete industrial motion packages, which include drives, motors, controls and related services,” said Pekka Tiitinen, head of ABB's Drives and Controls business unit. Dynamotive will be integrated into ABB’s Drives and Controls business unit, led in the UK by Neil Ritchie.