ASEA

Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (English translation: General Swedish Electrical Limited 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.

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. 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 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.
 * 1968 – ASEA's elevator business gets 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.

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