Wärtsilä and ABB to push boundaries of engine performance together

Wärtsilä Corporation, Press release 24 August 2017 at 10:00 UTC+2
  • TURBO

The technology group Wärtsilä and ABB, a pioneering technology leader, have signed an agreement to expand their cooperation in lifecycle service offerings. In this context, ABB has granted Wärtsilä the Authorized Service Provider status for standard maintenance of ABB turbochargers installed with Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines.

As a result customers will benefit from enhanced engine performance optimisation over the lifecycle. Furthermore, continuous development of turbocharger upgrade packages and future digital offerings will lead to improvements in fuel efficiency, uptime, and operational costs. This cooperation will also further increase the depth and breadth of the maintenance offering, providing higher availability and agility.

Wärtsilä and ABB have signed a comprehensive, 6-year service agreement covering standard maintenance and performance optimisation of ABB turbochargers installed with Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines. The new agreement is an evolution of the long-term cooperation in the field in force since 2005. ABB has the largest turbocharger population in the Wärtsilä installed base with 27,000 ABB turbochargers on Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines.

Sharing knowledge allows maximised availability

To ensure smooth processes and effective management of installation performance, Wärtsilä and ABB will share specific service data and maintenance documents. This also enables the inclusion of ABB turbochargers in the Wärtsilä Online Services offering. The Authorized Service Provider status for standard maintenance includes disassembly, exchange of parts, balancing and reassembly of ABB turbochargers installed with Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines. For customers, this cooperation increases the options for servicing their ABB turbochargers, with a wider portfolio to enhance the performance of their products.

This agreement is an important step in Wärtsilä’s strategy to expand its analytic approach to lifecycle performance optimisation to turbochargers. “Being able to look at the whole installation increases its availability and efficiency, optimising service speed and agility. Customers can reduce their operational risk, ensure optimal tuning and save time by being able to overhaul their ABB turbocharger at the same time as the engine. Wärtsilä’s aim is to expand its leadership as a global provider of quality services also to turbochargers. Thanks to this agreement, we are now able to serve our customers even better by offering them ABB turbocharger services coupled with our engine knowhow across 25 locations,” says Tomas Hakala, Vice President, 4-stroke Engine Services at Wärtsilä Services.

Advanced upgrade solutions help customers stay competitive in their markets

Improving the performance of the entire marine or power application – including turbochargers – over the lifetime is key to enabling customers’ competitiveness. Therefore Wärtsilä and ABB have started to offer upgrade packages targeting performance improvements with regard to fuel efficiency, uptime and operational expenses. As of today, more than 100 upgrade solutions on marine and power applications have been successfully commissioned. With this agreement, both parties have reiterated their commitments to increasing efforts to develop and market upgrade and retrofit packages for Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines.

“This agreement is a logical expansion of the cooperation established for new engine developments, where we jointly aim to push the boundaries of engine performance to new levels. With this new service agreement, ABB aims to foster our leading position in the field of advanced upgrade solutions during the lifecycle to improve performance of our customers in their businesses,” says Herbert Müller, Head of Service, ABB Turbocharging.

The agreement will result in 25 authorised Wärtsilä turbocharger workshops with an expanded service and maintenance offering. This is in addition to the 110 existing ABB Turbocharging Service Stations around the globe. Customers will benefit from this expansion of authorised resources available to keep their equipment up and running, and performing well.

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Caption: Wärtsilä and ABB have signed a comprehensive agreement covering standard maintenance and performance optimisation of ABB turbochargers installed with Wärtsilä 4-stroke engines.

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Caption: ABB TPL-C turbocharger on a Wärtsilä 50SG engine.

Link to ABB logo

For further information, please contact:

Wärtsilä

Tomas Hakala
Vice President, 4-stroke Engine Services
Wärtsilä Services
Tel: +358 40 834 7793
tomas.hakala@wartsila.com

Hanna Viita
Director, Marketing
Wärtsilä Services
Tel: +358 40 167 1755
hanna.viita@wartsila.com

ABB

Herbert Müller
Head of Service, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd.
Tel: +41 (0)58 585 23 94
herbert.müller@ch.abb.com

Alexandra Christie
Manager, Global Media Relations & Editorial
ABB Turbo Systems Ltd.
Tel: +41 (0)58 585 92 88
M: +41(0)798 764 875
alexandra.christie@ch.abb.com

Wärtsilä Services in brief
Wärtsilä Services provides high-quality lifecycle services that enhance customers’ business. Its broad range of services supports both shipping and power generation companies, whenever and wherever needed. Solutions range from spare parts and basic support to ensuring the maximised lifetime, increased efficiency and guaranteed performance of the customer’s equipment or installation – in a safe, reliable, and environmentally sustainable way.
www.wartsila.com/services

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in advanced technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2016, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 4.8 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com

ABB Turbocharging in brief
ABB Turbocharging (www.abb.com/turbocharging) is at the helm of the global industry in the manufacture and maintenance of turbochargers for 500 kW to 80+ MW diesel and gas engines. Our innovative leading-edge technology enables our customers to increase their performance; producing lower emissions, and improving fuel consumption even in the toughest environments. Approximately 200,000 ABB turbochargers are in operation across the globe on ships, power stations, gen-sets, diesel locomotives and large, off-highway vehicles. We have over 110 Service Stations in more than 50 countries globally and a wide service portfolio that guarantees Original Parts and Original Service anytime, anywhere.
http://new.abb.com/turbocharging

ABB in brief
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 132,000 employees. 
www.abb.com