The industrial world noticed last week when ABB Ltd. announced its $2.6 billion purchase of General Electric Co.'s Industrial Solutions business. The decision to sell confirmed that GE will change under new CEO John Flannery. The decision to buy cemented ABB as a major player in the North American industry. CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer described the unit as an "unloved child" and said, "We know what needs to be fixed. We are very confident this business will prosper as part of ABB." If they do, the bottom line will benefit: ABB will incur costs of about $400 million over five years to integrate the business, but it could eventually generate annual cost savings of about $200 million. The deal could also spark ABB in its chase of global electrification leader Schneider Electric. Nobody in the company has publicly stated that as a goal right now — better now, bigger later, they say — but wait three or four years and the results might speak for themselves.