ABB receives Finnish award for sustained local investment
Over the past 10 years, ABB has invested an average of EUR 55 million annually on developing its operations in Finland – and now the company has received the Long-term International Investor award from the President of Finland.
Case study 19.2.2025
Finland’s Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic is presented annually to companies that have achieved notable success in different areas. Established in 1967, the award specifically recognizes activities that benefit the Finnish economy and the country’s international standing.
In the 2024 award round, electrification and automation company ABB was recognized as a Long-term International Investor in Finland by the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. ABB Finland employs some 5,500 people in both R&D and production across more than 20 locations. Over the past 10 years, ABB has invested an average of EUR 55 million annually on developing its operations in Finland.
The scale of ABB's local activity is broad, covering R&D and production.
When considering the mergers and divestments that created ABB as it is today, the company’s presence in the country goes back more than 135 years. The scale of local activity is broad, covering R&D and production of frequency converters, motors, generators, switches, relays, marine propulsion systems, plant electrification, industrial software, instruments and more.
“ABB Finland is an essential part of the global ABB group. This award recognizes all our employees for their enduring good work. We have collaborated tightly with our customers over the years and have been able to serve them well – even through tough times,” says Pekka Tiitinen, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board at ABB Finland. Tiitinen has been with ABB for 34 years and has led the local entity since 2016.
Sizable growth by leading green TRANSITION
“ABB Finland has grown by EUR 600 million during the past three years to generate revenue of EUR 2.6 billion, which is sizable on the Finnish scale. We are currently among the top 20 taxpayers in the country and have consistently been among the top 10 over the past decade,” explains Tiitinen.
The company’s campus in Helsinki is its key location, developing and assembling drives as well as motors and generators for a wide range of industries and applications. The other key location is in the city of Vaasa, where induction motors, electrical switches and relays are the main products.
"We have been active in Finland over 135 years and continue to play a significant role for our customers and society into the future", states Pekka Tiitinen, Managing Director of ABB Finland. Photo: ABB Finland
“ABB is also one of the biggest investors in local R&D,” says Tiitinen. “Much of our R&D spend is directed towards current and future products in electrification and automation, the areas where ABB is strong.”
ABB Finland has also led Green Electrification 2035 program, which aims to create renewable electricity solutions. The program is one of Business Finland's leading company funding ecosystems. “In most areas we have already achieved the four-year targets set by the program. We’re excelling in terms of the number of partners, the amount of R&D investment, and the delivery record of the research we are conducting,” says Tiitinen.
Much of ABB's R&D spend is directed towards current and future products in electrification and automation.
ABB’s solutions touch nearly every sector: pulp and paper, steel and chemicals, ships, data centers, power plants, power generation, electrical transportation, hospitals and other buildings. As climate targets grow in importance, the company sees an opportunity to help industries transition to renewable energy sources and reduce their carbon footprint.
“We have been active in Finland over 135 years and continue to play a significant role for our customers and society into the future. Moving beyond fossil fuels will require smarter use of renewable energy and clean electricity. ABB is well-positioned to help with this shift,” states Tiitinen.
The Internationalization Award of the President of the Republic of Finland
The Award is a recognition granted each year to companies operating in Finland that have gained international success, and to the communities behind them. Since 2015, the proposal on companies and communities to be recognized has been made by the Board of Directors of Team Finland.
According to the rules, the internationalization award is a recognition given for activities benefiting the Finnish economy and industry in an international operating environment. The Long-term International Investor has been awarded since 2021 – the awarded companies in the category, so far, have been Bayer, Andritz, AGCO Power, and now ABB.