ABB announces 4000 System 800xA installations since 2004

In a press release this morning, ABB announced that they have sold 4000 System 800 xA installations since the product was introduced in January of 2004. I've reproduced the press release below. What I would like to know, that the press release doesn't say, is how many of those systems were new sales, either greenfield or complete rip-and-replace; how many were upgrades to existing installations of various ABB marques like Bailey, F&P, etc.; and how many were upgrades to competitive systems. It would also be nice to know how many of these systems were in the traditional process industries and how many were in power control. I understand why ABB might be reluctant to divulge that level of detail, but it sure would help end users to decide how other end users feel about the System 800xA. In any event, doing what amounts to more than 1000 installations a year in about three and a half years is an outstanding feat. We congratulate ABB! From the release: Since its introduction in 2004, ABB’s groundbreaking IndustrialIT Extended Automation System 800xA has been sold to more than 4,000 new and existing ABB customers in a diverse range of industries. This figure includes new system installations, as well as existing ABB system evolutions to 800xA.   System 800xA has improved industrial productivity, safety, and operational profitability for customers in virtually every industry, from process industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, cement, and mining to traditional electric and water utilities to alternative energy production such as solar, waste-to-energy and bioethanol.   Built for integration from the ground up, System 800xA serves as the foundation for a number of unique industry-specific applications as well as for major composite plant systems, such as integrated process and electrical automation. By integrating these systems on the common 800xA platform, customers optimize the design and performance of their electrical and automation systems and see additional benefits in reduced maintenance, engineering and overall lifecycle costs. “The integration of power management and automation on the common 800xA platform delivers on the value proposition of sustainable manufacturing in terms of operational improvement, efficiency and cost savings,” said Larry O’Brien, Research Director for Process Industries, ARC. “The combination of System 800xA with ABB’s other automation and power offerings makes ABB a leading supplier for electrical integration for customers in a wide variety of industries.” Several recent System 800xA projects include a fully integrated automation and electrical power system for Drake Cement’s new plant in Arizona, integrated automation for SQM’s new fertilizer processing plant in Chile, mine hoist control for LKAB’s iron mine in northern Sweden, and many others. “The continued success of our Extended Automation System 800xA underscores the significant productivity and performance improvement benefits it provides to our customers across all industries,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “It is a core element in our vast portfolio of process automation solutions and services to help our customers succeed and thrive in today’s competitive global marketplace.” ABB also recently signed an exclusive $61-million frame agreement with Petrobras to supply System 800xA for process automation systems and related services to eight oil refineries in Brazil over the next five years.