04 May 2016, Dar es Salaam — ABB Global Technology has opened a service centre in Tanzania that will serve Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi for the maintenance and rehabilitation of turbochargers in power plants.
“Our companies have been operating in Tanzania since 1993 and focus on manufacturing of turbochargers that control the voltage of power and increase the efficiency of the machines in the generation and transmission of power from substations,” ABB Power and Productivity Country Managing Director Michael Otonya said last week.
He said the construction of the $500,000 facility worth will make it the only service centre in East Africa.
ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies. The company has expertise in connecting electrical plants to internet provision gadgets and optimizes energy costs and power loads. ABB Turbocharging is a technology and market leader in the manufacture and maintenance of turbochargers for 500 kW to 80-plus MW diesel and gas engines. ABB produced the world’s first industrial turbocharger.
Otonya said the firm will continue to invest in the country by innovating new electrical machines suitable for the East African market in industries, utility firms, and transport.
He said the turbocharger is a turbine-driven forced induction device that increases internal combustion engines efficiency and power output in operations.
Otonya requested the government, especially the country’s utility firm, to invest more in power plant construction, the infrastructure of power generation, transmission and power products to foster social and economic development.
Speaking at the same event ABB Managing Director for East and Southern Africa Leon Viljoen said their company is looking forward to bring electrical technology solutions to Tanzania and the East Africa by introducing new products and providing experts.
“ABB has almost 30 experts focused on offering best solutions to local the market in controlling the voltage of power to medium, high or low in different industries,” he said.
The Head of Service Station and EUS Manager ABB Turbocharging Eastern Africa said that before the opening of facility turbocharger maintenance was only undertaken in India and South Africa.
The ABB Group of companies operates in 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.
*Damas Makangale – East African Business
