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ABB invests in Viola Systems

ABB invests in Sitra's target company Viola Systems Oy and becomes its minority shareholder. Strategic partnership between ABB and Viola Systems to address the rapid growth in the smart network business ABB makes a 20% venture capital investment in Viola Systems, a Finnish-based supplier of wireless communication solutions for electrical networks. The investment strengthens the offering and position of ABB in the rapidly growing business of smart grids.

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ABB  invests in Sitra’s target company Viola Systems Oy and becomes its minority shareholder. Strategic partnership between ABB and Viola Systems to address the rapid growth in the smart network business ABB makes a 20% venture capital investment in Viola Systems, a Finnish-based supplier of wireless communication solutions for electrical networks. The investment strengthens the offering and position of ABB in the rapidly growing business of smart grids.

“Viola Systems is a forerunner in wireless communication technology for electrical networks. ABB has used Viola Systems’ products in its solutions for many years. With the strategic partnership we will enter into closer research and product development cooperation,” says Dick Kronman, Business Development Director at ABB.

“By combining Finnish expertise on wireless technology with ABB’s network automation offering, we will be able to resolve the challenges of network companies and as frontrunners promoting the development and deployment of smart grids,” says Kronman.

The increase of renewable energy production, the EU’s objectives to cut greenhouse gas emissions and investing in the quality and reliability of power distribution require intelligence of the electrical networks. It is estimated that the annual growth of business related to smart grids in Europe is more than 40%.

“This partnership with ABB, the world wide leading technology supplier, makes it possible for us to keep up with the rapid market development, and enable us to grow accordingly. Long-term cooperation of many years with ABB is a solid foundation to further deepen the partnership,” says Jyrki Penttonen, CEO of Viola Systems.

The product portfolio of Viola Systems includes wireless routers and control units. These enable the wireless communication of devices in a smart grid. The world wide accepted solutions of Viola Systems are unique in the sense that they are able to utilize the public communications network in a cost-efficient, reliable and secure way. Traditional solutions are typically based on private networks where the investment and operational costs cannot be shared between several users, which is the case for public networks.
 
ABB cooperates with T-Systems (a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom), the City of Genoa, Fortum, Vattenfall, Helsingin Energia and E.ON, among others, in the development and implementation of smart grids. In Finland, ABB is involved in technology cooperation that intends to develop smart energy solutions in the Kalasatama area in Helsinki.

The global responsibility for distribution automation in ABB Group is based in Vaasa, Finland.

More information

Dick Kronman, ABB, phone +358 50 33 42287
Jyrki Penttonen, Viola Systems, phone +358 40 5705775
www.abb.com