ABB signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Beiren Intelligent Equipment Technology Co., Ltd.(Beiren), the largest printing machinery manufacturer in China today to provide state-of-the-art digital solutions and automation technologies which will help to support smart manufacturing and accelerate digital upgrade in China's printing machinery sector. The two parties will also share research and development resources and make joint efforts to boost innovation.

Under the agreement, ABB will provide comprehensive intelligent solutions including smart sensors, low voltage products and systems, switchgears, control systems and drive systems, and also help the customer build digital operation system with ABB manufacturing execution systems (MES) and cloud-based platform. In addition, the two parties will explore the approaches to the value-added business by leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies. The collaboration will also promote the development in digital design, modeling and simulation platform as well as talent cultivation.

As a pioneering technology leader and digital champion, ABB is committed to becoming the partner of choice to support manufacturing transformation and upgrade. Based on the more than 130 years of innovation history and 40 years of rich experience in industrial digitalization, ABB Ability™, the unified, cross-industry digital capability of ABB from device to edge to cloud, will combine the latest innovations in information technology and leading automation technologies together with the rich industry expertise of Beiren, to help customers in the printing industry improve production efficiency and reduce operation and maintenance cost for all-round value creation.

“With the advance of the new technology revolution, Internet, Big Data and AI are deeply integrated with the real economy, and intelligent manufacturing has become the major direction of ‘China Manufacturing 2025'. More and more industries are leveraging digital technologies to accelerate their transformation and upgrade.” said Dr. Chunyuan Gu, President of Asia, Middle East and Africa Region, ABB Group, and Chairman and President of ABB (China) Limited at the signing ceremony, “With the combination of ABB's leading automation technologies and digital solutions and Beiren's industry know-how, we will work together to build smart factories with high efficiency and set a new benchmark for the digital transformation in China’s printing machinery industry. Our joint innovation will help enhance Beiren's market competitiveness by providing new experience, higher value and better services for the end users.”

Beiren Intelligent Equipment Technology Co., Ltd., established in June 2017, was formerly known as Beiren Group which was founded in 1952 as one of the pioneers in China's printing machinery sector. After more than sixty years of fast development, Beiren has accumulated rich experience in equipment manufacturing and R&D with a state-level technology center as well as a sales and service network at home and abroad. It has been one of the standard initiators and setters for China's printing machinery. Mr. Bangshe Chen, Chairman of Beiren and Mr. Yanfeng Li, General Manager of Beiren attended the signing ceremony.

“Along with the wide application of Internet and digital technologies, Beiren is now striving to further optimize its business structure, improve its core competence and create more values by shifting from a pure printing equipment manufacturer to a digital, intelligent and green printing solution provider. I believe, the strategic cooperation with ABB will have a profound impact on Beiren's future development, and we will achieve fruitful and mutually beneficial results in pushing forward digital transformation through joint efforts.” Said Mr. Yanfeng Li.

This agreement is a further expansion of the cooperation between B&R and Beiren for years. B&R was a proven innovation leader which focused on machine and factory automation solutions, and one of the key system suppliers for printing machinery market before it was integrated into ABB's Industrial Automation division to form its global Machine & Factory Automation business unit. B&R has maintained a long-term close cooperation with Beiren and have jointly developed many systems and solutions for the printing industry which helped customers significantly improve their automation levels and achieve unprecedented improvement in operation performance and productivity.

“Starting with the disruptive innovation in integrated color setting for gravure printing, our 15 years of cooperation with Beiren has built up trust and laid a solid foundation for further collaboration,” said Dr. Weirong Xiao, Managing Director of B&R Greater China region, “The challenges and opportunities in the digital era are calling for an innovative mix of mechanical, electrical, information and intelligent technologies. With ABB as a strategic partner and on the platform of ABB Ability™, I believe that we can ‘print out’ a new chapter in the digital age, together.”

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees.