1883, Asea Ludvig Fredholm establishes Elektriska Aktiebolaget in Stockholm as manufacturer of electrical lighting and generators. 1890, Asea Elektriska Aktiebolaget merges with Wenstroms & Granstroms Elektriska Kraftbolag to form Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, later shortened to Asea. 1891, BBC Charles E.L. Brown and Walter Boveri establish Brown, Boveri & Cie in Baden, Switzerland. Shortly afterward, Brown, Boveri & Cie is the first company to transmit high-voltage AC power. 1893, Asea Asea builds the first three-phase transmission system in Sweden. 1895, BBC Within four years, BBC delivers its 1000th electrical machine in motors and generators. 1900, BBC BBC expands abroad and establishes its first foreign subsidiary in Germany. 1900-1910, Asea Asea plays a major role in the electrification of Swedish industry, railways and homes. 1901, BBC BBC builds the first steam turbine in Europe. 1932, Asea Asea builds the world’s largest self-cooling transformer and expands its fan business by acquiring AB Svenska Flaktfabriken. 1933, BBC BBC obtains a patent for turbine rotors constructed of individual steel disks that are welded together. 1944, BBC BBC continues to innovate in locomotive technology with the development of the first high-speed locomotive with driving shafts fitted exclusively in bodies. 1953, Asea Asea is the fist company in the world to manufacture synthetic diamonds. 1963, BBC The first data transmission at carrier frequency is performed by BBC over a high-voltage line to the power station control unit. 1974, Asea Asea invents and launches one of the first industrial robots. 1980, Asea Asea is one of the top ten companies in the world in power technology. 1984, BBC Installation of first of nine BBC generators in the world's largest hydroelectric power station at Itaipu in South America. 1988 Asea and BBC merge to form АВВ (Asea Brown Boveri Ltd), one of the largest electrical engineering companies of the world. 1989 ABB acquires some 40 companies in its first year, including the power transmission and power distribution businesses of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. 1990 ABB commences a large-scale program of expansion in Central and Eastern Europe. 1992 ABB opens representative office in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 1993 ABB continues to focus its growth strategy on Europe, Asia and the Americas through a number of strategic investments, joint ventures and acquisitions. 1995 ABB in Kazakhstan becomes a legal entity. 1998 ABB acquires Elsag Bailey Process Automation, the largest acquisition in its history, to become the market leader in the global automation market. 1999 ABB divests its nuclear power, power generation and rail businesses in order to focus on developing its market strengths in alternative energy. 2001 АВВ reforms its structure with focus on the largest groups of customers. АВВ lists its shares at the New York stock exchange. АВВ in third time is recognized as the company number one in corporate stability on Dow Jones’s index. 2002 АВВ strengthens focus on development of industrial Information technologies and social aspects of steady development.