Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (English translation: General Swedish Electrical Joint-Stock Company; Swedish abbreviation: ASEA) was a Swedish industrial company.
History
ASEA was founded in 1883 by Ludvig Fredholm in Västerås as a 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 ASEA for short.
ASEA constructed and built all sorts of electrical appliances, equipment and machines during its time as an active company. E.g. flatirons, telephones, lights, ovens, workshop lathes and drill presses, contactors, electrical motors and motor circuit breakers, elevators, electrical locomotives, overhead cranes, power grid substations, transformers and hydroelectric generators. Many of the electrical locomotives, overhead cranes, power grid stations, transformers and hydroelectric generators built in the 1970s and 1980s are still in operation to this day (2026). Two examples that can be seen on a daily basis are the electric locomotives Rc 4 (of the freight train operator Green Cargo) and Rc 6 (of the passenger train operator SJ AB) that is running on the Swedish rail network.
In 1987, it announced a merger with the Swiss company Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) to form ABB. The merge took effect on 1 January 1988.ASEA-BBC merger Modern Railways issue 472 January 1988 page 34 After this merger, ABB acquired several companies, including the power transmission and distribution operations of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation and the Combustion Engineering Group.
1889 – the partner Jonas Wenström constructs 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 boiling water reactor nuclear power plants in Sweden 1968 – ASEA's elevator business is acquired by Kone 1974 – Industrial robots are introduced by ASEA 1987 – Acquires Finnish Oy Strömberg Ab 1988 – Merges with Brown, Boveri & Cie, Asea Cylinda laundry appliances branch bought 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 Asko Hitachi Energy Sigfrid Edström Uno Lamm
References
Further reading Jan Glete, Asea under hundra år: 1883–1983: en studie i ett storföretags organisatoriska, tekniska och ekonomiska utveckling. (Västerås, 1987). .