{{short description|Belgian engine manufacturer}} {{Infobox company | name = Anglo Belgian Corporation (A.B.C.) | logo = | caption = | type = [[Naamloze vennootschap]] (NV)<br>[[S.A. (corporation)|''Société anonyme'' (SA)]] | genre = | fate = | predecessor = Anglo Belgian Company (1912–1979) | successor = | foundation = 1912 | founder = | defunct = | location_city = [[Ghent]] | location_country = Belgium | location = | locations = | area_served = | key_people = | industry = | products = Medium speed diesel engines | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = OGEPAR s.a.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ogepar.com/|title=OGEPAR s.a.|work=www.ogepar.com}}</ref> | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = [http://www.abc-engines.com www.abc-engines.com] | footnotes = | intl = }} [[File:Union_Diamond_Anglo-Belgian-Corp._ABC-Engine_IMO_9220548_p9_07-Feb-2008._ABC-Engine_IMO_9220548_p9_07-Feb-2008.jpg | thumb | alt=A green diesel engine with a plaque saying ANGLO-BELGIAN-CORP. It has a logo with three engine pistons and the letters A, B and C | right | Anglo Belgian Corporation diesel engine]] The '''Anglo Belgian Corporation''' ('''ABC''') is a Belgian manufacturer of medium speed diesel engines, primarily for the marine market, as well as stationary and locomotive markets.
==History==
===1912-1939=== On 26 October 1912 the Anglo Belgian corporation was founded; the company was to manufacture the new [[semi-diesel engine]]s. One of the investors was the ''Onghena'' company, a manufacturer of gas engines, which would contribute part of their factory space and machinery towards the production of the new machines. Eight investors including Onghena each contributed 500,000 [[Belgian franc]]s towards the enterprise; a ninth investor the company ''Carels Brothers'' contributed diesel engine manufacturing licenses in exchange for a 5% return of the company's turnover.<ref name="h2">{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome2.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=2. The creation of the Anglo Belgian Corporation - 1912 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132126/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome2.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref>
The name of the new company was '''Anglo Belgian Company''', the ''Anglo'' indicating that some of the investment capital was to come from Britain, however [[World War I]] intervened and no capital was to come from England, but the name was kept. Initial production included engines ranging from 6 to 40 [[horsepower]].<ref name="h2"/> After the end of the First World War (during which the factory had been occupied and its machines taken to Germany), the company began normal production again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome3.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=3. The First World War : 1914 - 18 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132201/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome3.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref> The company survived the [[Great Depression]] due to the relatively stable nature of its customer base, the fishing and shipping industries. Later in the [[interwar period]] the company obtained a license from [[Paxman Ricardo]] for the production of 1500 rpm engines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome4.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=4. Between two World Wars |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132254/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome4.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref>
===1939-1970=== During the Second World War, production continued at a reduced level. Also, during this period, prototypes for a medium-speed [[Four-stroke engine|four-stroke]] single-acting engine were produced, codenamed DU (diesel universal).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome5.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=5. The Second World War : 1940 - 45 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132322/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome5.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref> In the decades after the Second World War, the DU engine was developed and modified: 5-, 6- and 8-cylinder versions were produced, turbocharged versions (codenamed DUX) with 50% more power than the equivalent non-turbocharged version were made, as were [[Naturally aspirated engine|naturally aspirated]] versions, including turbocharged and [[Intercooler|intercooled]] versions. The company was prosperous up to the 1970s, and its engines were used in ships, locomotives (usually of the shunting type) and for electricity generation.<ref name="h6">{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome6.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=6. The period 1945 - 80 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132340/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome6.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref>
===1970-1989 - Challenging times=== During the 1970s the company's financial situation became unfavourable, exacerbated by the loss of one major market, the [[Belgian Congo]], which had become independent in 1960 and could not afford new engines. In 1973, the license for the manufacture of high-speed engines was obtained from [[SEMT Pielstick]]; additionally the company developed an entirely new engine codenamed DZC operating at 1000 rpm.<ref name="h6"/> By 1979 the company needed capital, negotiations with private investors failed, and the company went bankrupt.<ref name="h6"/> The company restarted under new management and with new investors (the companies ''Pauwels'', ''Batibo'', and the ''Belgian Shipbuilding Corporation'' as well as with government investment) and was renamed '''Anglo Belgian Corporation'''. Problems with production versions of the DZC engine required further investment to fix, and the shareholders lost confidence in the company, refusing an increase in capital. As a result, they passed their shares to ''Ogepar'', a Luxembourg-based [[holding company]], thereby raising 75,000,000 [[Belgian franc]]s in capital.<ref name="h7">{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome7.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=7. The period 1980 - 85 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132416/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome7.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref>
===1990-2010 - Resetting the path for growth=== The modified DZC engine was a success, as was its association with ''Ogepar''. Despite the collapse of the Belgian shipbuilding industry, new markets were found, including overseas power plants. In 1997, a V-formed version of the DZC engine was developed, and the power range of the DZC series was extended to {{convert|5000|hp|kW|abbr=on}}<ref name="h8">{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome8.htm |title=History of A.B.C. |at=8. The new breakthrough : 1985 -2000 |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132434/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Histhome8.htm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref> The newly designed VDZC engine met all expectations, and it contributed to the [[organic growth]] of the company. Since the launch of this engine, over 1200 units have been produced at the Ghent factory, for various applications. Over time, the VDZC's product range grew to include larger [[turnkey]] projects. The largest of these arose in 2009 in Brazzaville, Congo, where a standalone power plant was built with ten 16VDZC engines, generating a total of 32MW of electrical power. === 2011-2019 Increasing R&D and innovations ===
In January 2011, Tim Berckmoes, who had been working at the firm since 1999, was appointed as General Manager. In order to extend the existing product range, ABC designed a new engine. ABC's engineering department, together with the Austrian engineering company AVL, worked intensively on this project. A new production and assembly facility was launched at the beginning of 2011. A new 5,000 m<sup>2</sup> building was completed in 2012. The facility included late-model tooling machines, equipment and test-benches, along with assembly robots.
Since then, ABC has been awarded numerous new projects for large customers around the globe. Examples include backup diesel generators for nuclear power plants at the French utility EDF, as well as diesel engines for various navies, dredging companies, mining companies, port authorities, [[tugboat]] firms, and passenger ferries.
In 2019, ABC was awarded the Trends Gazelle Award for the fastest-growing export company in Belgium in its category.
In 2019, a [[joint venture]] between ABC and [[Compagnie Maritime Belge|CMB]] was initiated in order to produce [[hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle|hydrogen internal combustion engine]]s with a power output of between 0,8 and 2,8 MW.<ref>[https://www.cmb.be/en/new/behydro-a-joint-venture-between-abc-cmb BeHydro, A joint venture between ABC & CMB]</ref> Besides producing dual-fuel engines, the joint venture is also working on a monofuel hydrogen engine.<ref>[https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/cmb-and-anglo-belgian-corporation-abc-launch-latest-hydrogen-powered-engine/ CMB and Anglo Belgian Corporation launch latest hydrogen powered engine]</ref>
=== 2020 and later === After a COVID year, where the factory managed to stay open and maintain production, ABC introduced the new EVOLVE engine range at the 2021 Europort show in Rotterdam, Holland.
==Products == As of 2019, the company produces 6- and 8-cylinder DL36 engines in power ranges from 3950 to 5200 kW, inline 6- and 8-cylinder DZ engines from 864 to 1768 kW, and 12- and 16-cylinder V engines (V-DZC) of rated power either 2650 kW or 3536 kW.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Productshome.htm |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |work=www.abcdiesel.be |title=Products of A.B.C |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829211058/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Productshome.htm |archivedate=2010-08-29 }}</ref>
The engines are found on large river barges such as those found on the [[Rhine]], coastal freighters, fishing boats, ferries, tugboats (which typically use two engines), and other ships. Other applications include electricity generation, pumping engines, engines for cranes, and also locomotives (including the [[Belgian Railways Class 77]] and [[Voith Maxima]]), as well as dual fuel (gas/oil) DZD engines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdiesel.be/Reference_main_home.htm |title=References of A.B.C |work=www.abcdiesel.be |publisher=Anglo Belgian Corporation nv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204053903/http://www.abcdiesel.be/Reference_main_home.htm |archivedate=2010-12-04 }}</ref>
The DL and DV36 range are large-bore (365mm) series with outputs between 3900 and 10400 kW. These are intended for larger ships and oversized powerplants. The hydrogen internal combustion engines, made by BeHydro (see above) are used in the HydroTug.<ref>[https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/cmb-and-anglo-belgian-corporation-abc-launch-latest-hydrogen-powered-engine/ CMB and Anglo Belgian Corporation launch latest hydrogen-powered engine]</ref>
The EL23, a multi-fuel model, is the newest engine in the range. It offers fuel flexibility to owners and operators who are interested in an engine platform that provides a combination of liquid-fuel combustion with compression ignition and gaseous-fuel combustion with spark ignition. ==References== {{reflist}}
===Further information=== *{{cite book|title=Pounder's Marine Diesel Engines and Gas Turbines|author=Doug Woodyard|publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann|year=2009|isbn=9780080943619|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RC_k4q6y-JIC&q=Pounder's%20Marine%20Diesel%20Engines%20and%20Gas%20Turbines&pg=PA715|at=Anglo Belgian Corporation, pp.715-6}}
[[Category:Engine manufacturers of Belgium]] [[Category:Diesel engine manufacturers]] [[Category:Marine engine manufacturers]] [[Category:Electrical generation engine manufacturers]] [[Category:Locomotive engine manufacturers]]