Hitachi Energy was officially incorporated on June 30, 2021, but our story began long before that. With a combined corporate heritage of over 250 years — passed down from both our predecessor company, ABB, and our parent company, Hitachi Ltd. — ours is a story rooted in a long-standing tradition of technological innovations that have provided real impact not only to our customers but also, and more importantly, to society at large.
Our story begins in late 19th Century Europe when electrical engineering companies, ASEA and BBC (Brown Boveri & Cie), were formed during the Second Industrial Revolution. It was a period of great technological advancement, and pioneering companies such as ASEA and BBC found success by introducing electrical power transmission, rail, and other similar industrial technologies.
Around the same time and on the other side of the world, Japan was in the midst of its own industrial revolution. The modernization programs introduced during the Meiji era allowed and encouraged innovative visionaries such as Namihei Odaira to participate in the formation of Japan’s industrial base. In 1910, at 36 years of age, Odaira founded Hitachi with the goal of “contributing to society through the development of superior, original technology and products.”
In the decades that followed, these three companies would become industry leaders in their own right. In 1988, ASEA and BBC merged to form ABB. The new company was headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, had revenues of $17 billion, and employed 160,000 people around the world. Its Power Grids division, in particular, distinguished itself as a key player in the looming energy transition, with innovative energy solutions and pioneering technologies that helped balance the growing need for electricity while reducing environmental impact.
