ABB Turbocharging gets a new name

ABB has rebranded its turbocharging division as “Accelleron,” a compound word of: Access – Accelerate – Excel – on and on.

The new branding is part of ABB’s portfolio management strategy to operationally separate its 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.

“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 on March 1 by Daniel Bischofberger who is rejoining ABB from Sulzer. In the case of a spin-off, Riemenschneider is expected to become chairman of Accelleron.

Accelleron is a leader in turbocharging technologies and optimization solutions for 0.5 to 80+ MW engines in the marine, energy, rail, and off-highway sectors. It 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 $750 million and has over 2,300 employees worldwide, of whom around 800 are located at its headquarters and global R&D center in Baden, Switzerland.

DECARBONIZATION

A key market driver in Accelleron’s industry is the trend towards decarbonization against the background of international and national regulations. Engine 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 in technology and commercial prototype projects with alternative fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia.

ABB says that turbochargers enable significant improvements in efficiency, increasing engine output by up to 300 percent and tenergy efficiency by up to 10 percent. Conventional engines would be up to four times their size without a turbocharger. Under ideal conditions, ABB’s turbochargers are said to offer a further two percent improvement compared to the industry benchmark, amounting to $1 million in lifetime savings for a large container vessel.