ABB expert honored with 2009 Beijing Great Wall Friendship Award

Beijing, June 7, 2010 –ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced Tauno Heinola, president of ABB Beijing Drive Systems Company, was presented the 2009 Beijing Great Wall Friendship Award in May. It is the second time for an ABB executive to receive this distinguished honor from the Beijing Municipal Government.

Heinola said after receiving the award, “It is a great honor for me to win this award. This is recognition from the Beijing government to ABB China and ABB Beijing Drive for our contribution to the city’s economic development. “

He said, “I like the people here who are eager and open to learn new things. I like the environment here where customers are dynamic and open to all discussions and possibilities. I like the industry here which is promising. I love Chinese culture which shows respect to others. As China continues to grow in the years to come, there will be great opportunities in wind, solar and discrete automation industries. The future looks promising.”

Heinola came to Beijing in early 1994, helping with the initial establishment of ABB Beijing Drive Systems. Under his leadership the past 15 years, the company has developed into an industrial leader of China’s drive market, ranking among “China’s Top 100 Electric Companies” for 6 consecutive years.

As president, Heinola has been dedicated to the introduction of world leading energy efficiency technology and products. ABB Beijing Drive Systems has become the group’s second largest production base for drive products, second only to its business headquarters in Finland. The company’s drive products have been extensively deployed in a number of key domestic projects, including the South to North Water Diversion projects, the Beijing Olympic Games, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, Shanghai Expo, as well as many landmark construction projects in Beijing such as the Great Hall of the People, the Grand National Theatre, the Beijing Airport, Beijing South Station, Phase 3 of the World Trade Tower, and Beijing Yintai Center.

Heinola has also overseen the transfer of ABB wind power converters and the introduction of new production lines to ABB’s factory in Beijing in 2008 for wind power products. ABB’s leading drive technology has supported China’s largest wind power project, the “Three Gorges Wind Power Project” in Jiuquan, Gansu province, as well as the Jiangsu coastal Wind Farm, the East Inner Mongolia Wind Farm, and the Zhangbei Wind Farm.

Heinola is committed to corporate social responsibility and social welfare programs in China. Each year, Heinola invites both international and local university students to visit the company, providing them with invaluable management experience. The company has also cooperated with Beijing Information Technology College to offer training opportunities for students. Whenever a major disaster occurs in China, Heinola is quick to call for company donations in order to provide support for the affected areas. Under his leadership, company employees have also contributed substantial financial and material support to students in poverty stricken areas.

Since its inception in 1999, the Beijing Great Wall Friendship Award has been the highest ranking award presented by the Beijing Municipal Government, honoring foreign experts for their outstanding contributions to the city’s development. Peter Leupp, Executive Vice President of ABB Group and former President of ABB China previously received this award.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 117,000 people. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including research and development, manufacturing, sales and services, with 15,300 employees, 30 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 60 cities.