ABB’s plant in Quebec, Canada, founded in 1973, now produces market-leading industrial analyzers
Innovative technologies such as ABB Sensi+™, which monitors multiple gaseous contaminants in a single device, come from the plant
Optical sensors, manufactured at ABB’s Quebec plant, play a vital role in detecting methane and other greenhouse gas emissions on Earth

ABB celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Measurement and Analysis facility in Quebec. The plant today produces market-leading industrial analyzers and is one of the largest suppliers of optical sensors used to detect Earth’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The plant has grown into a flagship plant with more than 400 employees

Founded in 1973 by visionary Dr. Henry Buijs, Garry Vail and Jean-Noel Berube, Bomem Inc. began as a local business and has grown into a flagship facility with more than 400 employees. In 1999, Bomem was acquired by ABB, ushering in a new era in which it could leverage ABB’s resources and global footprint to further expand its reach. Today, the facility has ABB’s largest measurement and analysis research and development team of 150 engineering experts and scientists.

The founders of ABB’s Quebec plant, from left: Garry Vail, renowned spectroscopic scientists Henry Buijs and Jean-Noel Berube

Jean-Rene Roy, Global Head of the Analyzers Business line at ABB Measurement & Analysis, said: “In its 50-year journey, ABB Quebec has not only pushed the limits of industrial analyzers, but is also pushing even higher. Through its pioneering gas analysis technology, ABB provides ongoing support for global action on climate change, including advanced solutions to monitor the Earth’s environment and help protect its future. This milestone is the result of the continuous innovation and dedication of every employee who has worked at the Quebec plant over the past 50 years.”

Drive the change of gas analysis technology through innovation

The ABB Sensi+™ analyzer, manufactured in Quebec, is used to monitor natural gas quality with a single device that continuously monitors multiple gaseous contaminants – hydrogen sulfide, water and carbon dioxide. Not only does this eliminate the need for multiple analyzers and different maintenance schedules, it also reduces operator training and maintenance time.

The Quebec plant also produces ABB’s Gas Leak Detection Solutions Suite, which uses an innovative approach to gas detection that is 1,000 times more sensitive and 10 times faster than conventional equipment.

Also in Quebec, ABB designs and manufactures one of the largest portfolios of in-line and process FT-IR/FT-NIR analyzers. These solutions are suitable for quality control in industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, and life sciences to help increase productivity while reducing environmental impact.

Since its inception, ABB Quebec has also provided solutions to meet the needs of the global space industry, partnering with major space agencies to provide weather forecasting, climate analysis, Earth observation, space exploration and astronomy services.

In recent years, optical sensors made at ABB’s Quebec plant have played a crucial role in monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from space. Space-based gas analysis enables accurate reporting across jurisdictions, providing data to support climate commitments. ABB’s optical sensors have a resolution 100 times higher than comparable technologies and can accurately identify the source of emissions.