Agreement signed

ABB Ltd
20 February 2004



ABB sells Swiss Building Systems business

Sale is part of strategy to focus on power and automation technologies

Zurich, Switzerland, February 20, 2004 - ABB, the leading power and automation
technology group, said today it has signed an agreement to sell its building
systems business in Switzerland to Capvis, a Swiss private equity company. ABB
will retain a ten percent share in the business.


'The sale is part of our continuing strategy to streamline ABB operations and is
another step towards completing our program of divestments,' said Peter Voser,
ABB's chief financial officer.


ABB Building Systems, Switzerland, is headquartered in Volketswil near Zurich
and employs about  1,600 people in 32 locations. The business reported revenues
of about $207 million (CHF 278 million) in 2003.


ABB and Capvis agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction. The sale is
subject to customary regulatory approvals.


Building Systems Switzerland is part of the Building Systems business area,
which will be reported in the Annual Report 2003 under the heading of Non-core
activities.


ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable
utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impacts. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100
countries and employs about 115,000 people.
                                                                             


                                                                              
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