WICKLIFFE, Ohio - ABB, a leader in power and automation technologies solutions headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, will formally open a Corporate Research Center (CRC) at its industrial computer control system facility in Wickliffe, Ohio, near Cleveland, in November. The CRC will concentrate on advanced computer process control and robotics to improve the efficiency and capability of industrial plants and electric utilities.

Approximately $25 million has been invested in CRC operations in Wickliffe; Raleigh, N.C.; and Windsor, Conn. The centers perform re-search and development projects with leading universities, including Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, North Carolina State University, and others.

Power development work is conducted at the Raleigh location, and robotics at the Windsor site.

ABB maintains a network of CRCs around the world that work with leading research universities. The Wickliffe location was selected in part due to its proximity to major American universities that are pursuing projects that relate to ABB's product lines which include robots, process control systems, industrial process measurement devices, and advanced software programs to monitor and control plant and mill operations. The Wickliffe CRC is also near ABB assembly sites.

Publication date: 11/15/2004