ASEA

This article is about the Swedish company. For the American company, see ASEA (American company).

Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget

ASEA logo used prior to the merger with Brown Boveri
ASEA HQ in Västerås
Company type	Publicly traded aktiebolag
Industry	Electrical engineering
Founded	1883 (1883)
Defunct	1999 (end of ABB dual-listing)
Successor	ABB Group
Headquarters	Västerås , Sweden

Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (English translation: General Swedish Electrical Limited Company; Swedish abbreviation: ASEA) was a Swedish industrial company. In 1988 it merged with the Swiss company Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) to form ABB Group. Between 1988 and 1999, ABB was one of the two holding companies (along with BBC) of the then-dual-listed ABB.

History

ASEA logo used from the late nineteenth century until 1933

ASEA was founded 1883 by Ludvig Fredholm in Västerås as manufacturer of electrical light and generators. After merging with Wenström's & Granström's Electrical Power Company (Wenströms & Granströms Elektriska Kraftbolag) the name was changed to Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, literally the "General Swedish Electrical Limited Company", or a ASEA for short.

• 1889 - the partner Jonas Wenström creates 3-phased generators, motors and transformers.
• 1933 - The company removes the swastika from its logo, due to the symbol's association with Nazi Germany.
• 1953 - ASEA creates the first industrial diamonds.
• 1954 - HVDC Gotland project, first static high-voltage DC system
• 1960s - ASEA builds nine of 12 nuclear plants in Sweden.
• 1974 - Industrial robots are introduced by ASEA
• 1987 - Acquires Finnish Oy Strömberg Ab
• 1988 - Merges with BBC Brown Boveri, Asea Cylinda laundry appliances branch brought by Finnish furniture maker Asko, renamed Asko ASEA.

Business management

CEOs

• 1883–1891 – Ludvig Fredholm
• 1891–1903 – Göran Wenström
• 1903–1933 – Sigfrid Edström
• 1934–1942 – Arthur Lindén
• 1942–1949 – Thorsten Ericson
• 1949–1961 – Åke Vrethem
• 1961–1976 – Curt Nicolin
• 1976–1980 – Torsten L. Lindström
• 1980–1988 – Percy Barnevik

Chairman of the Board

• 1891–1891 – Ludvig Fredholm
• 1892–1909 – Oscar Fredrik Wijkman
• 1910–1914 – Oscar Wallenberg
• 1914–1933 – Sten Ankarcrona
• 1934–1949 – Sigfrid Edström
• 1949–1956 – Thorsten Ericson
• 1956–1976 – Marcus Wallenberg
• 1976–1991 – Curt Nicolin

See also

• ASEA IRB - robot
• Sigfrid Edström
• Uno Lamm
• Asko

Further reading

• Jan Glete, Asea under hundra år: 1883-1983: en studie i ett storföretags organisatoriska, tekniska och ekonomiska utveckling. (Västerås, 1987). (in Swedish)