Firstco is the newest member of ABB’s Value Provider program

ABB’s automation offering is further enhanced with the appointment of Firstco as an ABB Value Provider, becoming the program’s first dedicated PLC and SCADA specialist for the UK.

Infrastructure engineering specialist Firstco is the newest member of ABB’s Value Provider program in the UK. As an accredited ABB distributor, Firstco benefits from access to ABB’s extensive PLC and SCADA product and support offering and is certified to provide factory-level service and integration, enabling Firstco to provide the highest quality engineering solutions.

Since its formation in 1998, Firstco has established itself as one of the UK’s leading suppliers of engineered control and communications systems and has been a key partner in the delivery of several high-profile projects including Heathrow Terminal 5 and Crossrail. Firstco specialises in critical infrastructure, energy management and data centres and has a long track record of delivering successful projects in airports, rail, road, maritime and building services, as well as industrial automation.

Firstco’s certification as an ABB Value Provider gives the company enhanced access to ABB’s PLC and SCADA offering, including ABB Ability^TM Zenon platform, together with a wide range of services, technical advice, training and tailored contracts. All members of the ABB channel partner network are carefully selected based on their technical expertise and quality of service. As the first PLC and SCADA provider to join the UK ABB network, Firstco is uniquely positioned to provide its customers with ABB’s most advanced automation products and solutions.

The agreement is the culmination of several years of successful collaboration, as Michael Gray, Managing Director of Firstco, explains: “We have been working to become a recognized value provider for some time and we are delighted to now be successful. Rather than using many products from many different manufacturers, we have always believed that we can best serve our customers by forming meaningful partnerships with a small number of suppliers who understand us and can provide the support and products we need to achieve excellent results.”

“ABB’s product availability and delivery times have always been first class, even in recent years when the rest of the market has been hit by delays and logistics issues, and their engineering solutions are second to none,” adds Martin Keay, Technical Sales Manager at Firstco. “We specialise in the most difficult and demanding projects, so the solutions are often extremely complex. ABB’s excellent pre-sales support has opened doors for us and already helped us win tenders, as customers know we are backed by the very best automation technology from a globally respected brand.”

“Transport infrastructure projects in particular have been severely impacted during the Covid pandemic, but we currently have a full order book and are poised to deliver rapid growth in the years ahead,” Gray continues. “It is great to finally formalise this already very productive partnership and we can’t wait to hang the ABB Value Provider plaque on the wall.” The addition of Firstco as the first specialist PLC and SCADA Value Provider for the UK market is expected to open up new opportunities for ABB to demonstrate the quality and value of its automation offering, as Rory Hamilton, ABB’s UK Channel Manager, explains: “We are delighted to have our first PLC and SCADA partner in the UK. Firstco has impressed us with their level of service and quality, and we share a commitment to the same core values, particularly around sustainability and decarbonisation. I see many exciting opportunities for our collaboration in the years to come.”

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