Sustainable switches and sockets from ABB made of unconventional materials

Timeless design, natural materials, and a wide selection of colors. This is how the new premium collection of sockets and switches from ABB can be characterized. The company, with over 150 years of tradition, has 16 product lines in its portfolio with hundreds of color variants.

According to a survey conducted by Ipsos at the turn of March and April this year, it is evident that when furnishing their homes, people pay the most attention to the material from which the selected products are made. The next criteria are shape, color, or originality. The research also showed that people pay more attention to the design of switches and sockets than, for example, to the design of doors or windows. “While architects and designers think of every detail right in the design phase, most consumers often didn’t pay much attention to the appearance of sockets or switches,” says Vladimír Janypka, director of the ABB Electrotechnics unit in the Czech Republic, adding: “However, times are changing, and even end customers are increasingly noticing details. They want innovative design and are interested in materials.”

Frames made of paper, slate, or concrete

ABB responds to current trends in interior design with the Busch-axcent® collection, which is evidence that switches and sockets no longer serve solely as control elements but are becoming carriers of aesthetic value. This series includes products in several material variants. In addition to more traditional materials such as glass or metal, there are also concrete, slate, or a unique composite material made from paper and resin, which is also used for furniture coverings, musical instruments, or facade cladding. From the shades, one can choose matte black, metallic surfaces in titanium or platinum colors, or glass frames in white, black, coral pink, avocado green, oyster gray, dark purple, sunny yellow, and ocean blue. The range is complemented by three unique surfaces of slate, concrete, and paper, which refer not only to natural elements in their most authentic form, where each piece is original, but also to sustainability and timelessness. The interest in new and unconventional materials referencing nature and sustainability is also confirmed by interior designer and author of three books on interior design Iva Bastlová: “Current trends are divided into many directions. One of them focuses on natural and authentic materials. Others are more decorative and with striking colors – these are mainly trends abroad that have not yet caught on here. It is also worth mentioning the trend of recycling, or rather upcycling and combining the ‘non-combinable’.”

Elegant installation

In the Axcent series, frames are available for both horizontal and vertical mounting. In the case of metal frames, there is also the option of elegant mounting almost flush with the wall when combined with a special mounting kit. In addition to switches and sockets, ABB also offers other elements of modern electrical installation. You can find an overview of them at https://nizke-napeti.cz.abb.com/designy/axcent.