ABB and Baldor said they would use a single U.S. sales force to sell and support the complete line of ABB and Baldor low- and medium-voltage industrial drives and industrial electric motors. The companies said in a press statement that this will offer customers a single point of contact for ABB and Baldor industrial motors, drives and generators; 24-hour local sales and service; the broadest range of industrial drives and motors in the marketplace from one source; and a full line of products for energy-efficient motor-driven systems. ABB Ltd. finalized a deal in Jan. 2011 to buy Baldor for $4.2 billion.
One NEMRA rep who requested anonymity said his company and all other independent manufacturers' reps selling the ABB product lines covered by this move were terminated in mid-October.
Aaron Aleithe, V.P. and general manager for ABB US' Low Voltage Drives business unit, said in a press release that this decision will make buying industrial motors and drives easier for customers.
Ron Tucker, Baldor's CEO and president, said in the same release, “By pairing a Baldor premium-efficient motor with an ABB industrial drive, customers have the opportunity to further decrease their energy consumption significantly. ABB and Baldor both have a long history of manufacturing industrial electric motors and drives. Together, we believe we can take better care of our industrial customers than anyone else.”