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31 May 2002

ABB merges process, discrete businesses

Zurich, Switzerland - Acknowledging that process and discrete manufacturing technologies are converging, ABB has merged its Process, Manufacturing and Consumer Industries divisions to form a single Industries division.

Dinesh Paliwal ABB photo

ABB also said it intends to divest the building systems business area, the remaining part of the Manufacturing and Consumer Industries division, in line with its strategy to focus on power and automation technologies for utility and industry customers.

Dinesh Paliwal, ABB group executive vice president, a member of ABB's Group executive committee and head of the former Process Industries Division, has been named to head the combined division.

"The merging of these divisions reflects a change in the marketplace. We see process and discrete manufacturing converging, and as a result, customers are looking for greater synergy in this extended value chain," Paliwal said. "This merging increases our opportunity to serve our customers' power and automation needs, better and faster than ever before."

Paliwal, 44, has more than 24 years of industries experience. He began his career in 1979 with Ballapur Industries, India. After joining ABB in 1985, he served a number of industries customers in engineering, sales, marketing and management positions in Australia, China, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States. In 1994, Paliwal became head of ABB's multi-industry business in China, which included several joint ventures.

In 1998, he became head of ABB's global pulp, paper, metal and minerals business, and then named to head the Process Industries Division in 2001, which serves cement, chemical, life sciences, marine, metals, minerals, mining, petroleum, pulp & paper and turbocharging customers. The new Industries Division will also serve automotive, consumer, electronics and discrete manufacturing customers.

Paliwal is chairman of the board of ABB's Skyva International (USA) subsidiary and also a board member of ABB companies in Singapore, India, Spain, Sweden and the USA.