GE Annual Report 2000: Business Review: Lighting




			GE Lighting Web Site


			Louisa Chen and David Pan check testing of spiral compact fluorescent lamps at the new GE Lighting Technical Center in Shanghai, China.

GE Lighting faced a year of flat sales and lower earnings despite upbeat performances by our Asian operations and strong quartz sales to the semiconductor industry. Growing competitive pressures and weak prices continue to impact the entire lighting industry. However, GE Lighting is better positioned than ever to compete in this tough environment.

We are focused on three major goals: customer centricity, competitiveness and leveraging an energized global team. Six Sigma Quality and a powerful new program of digitization give us the tools to succeed.

To be customer centric, we are cutting the span between promised delivery dates and actual performance. Moving from today's 38 days to our goal of just five days changes absolutely everything about the way we satisfy our customers. We also serve our customers by cutting their energy costs. New Staybright™ metal halide lamps can save $80 over the life of every lamp installed. And the just-introduced GE T8 Watt-Miser® fluorescent lamp offers 6% energy savings over the previous T8 models.

To increase our competitiveness, GE Lighting is digitizing all our processes. This electronic workout helps us challenge everything we do for real value to the business. In 2001, we will reduce our materials and services costs by e-Bidding 50% of our purchasing.

New initiatives, such as our Home Electronics Products (HEP) group, are also driving competitiveness. In 2000, HEP increased sales by over 50% across a broad range of wiring devices and consumer fixtures. The acquisition of Ecolux will also help our GELcore joint venture grow LED lighting systems.

We enter 2001 leaner and more focused. We have built a talented, energized global team that is moving with speed to digitize all our systems and effectively leverage e-Business opportunities. Six Sigma enables us to produce quality products with speed and innovation. We are excited and optimistic about the year ahead.

www.gelighting.com