Swaady Martin Newly-Appointed Regional Director for GE Transportation
in Sub-Saharan Africa
Cape Town, South Africa (March 5, 2009) - GE Transportation, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), announced that in order to underscore its commitment to infrastructure development in Africa while accelerating the company's growth in southern Africa and in the Republic of South Africa in particular, Swaady Martin has been appointed Regional Director.
GE Transportation has a long and successful history of operations and activities throughout Africa. The business was the first GE business active in South Africa in the 1890s and it has maintained its commitment to the rail industry in the region ever since.
Swaady Martin brings substantial experience within GE and a thorough knowledge of the African continent and its varied rail markets. Martin is a native of Cote d'Ivoire and has worked extensively in Africa.
This appointment further reinforces GE Transportation's commitment to actively supporting the region. As a global technology leader in transportation, GE Transportation is committed to help delivering world-class transportation, infrastructure development, and technology solutions -- a key prerequisite for sustainable economic growth.
South Africa and Western Cape region
A trusted partner and supplier to the rail and mining industries in South Africa, GE Transportation has an installed base of some 1,200 GE locomotives across the continent and in South Africa.
"In 2008, for example, GE Transportation took South Africa's Western Cape Orex line to the next level with the longest production train in the world, made possible through our LOCOTROL technology solution" said Martin.
"This distributed power system - a first in South Africa - allows longer, safer trains on the critical Western Cape Saldanha Bay iron ore export line. Orex is the only heavy-haul iron-ore railway line in South Africa and the second-longest iron-ore railway line in the world at some 861 kilometres. It feeds the port of Saldanha Bay, for export to a global market hungry for South African iron ore. Until now, the carrying capacity of the line itself has been a major barrier to increasing economy-boosting iron ore exports," she continued.
Emergency Power to the Mining Industry
GE Transportation is also providing emergency power to Anglo Platinum mines ensuring continuity and safety for the South African mining company's operations.
BBBEE in the Rail Industry
In addition, GE Transportation recently signed a landmark agreement with one of South Africa's foremost Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) companies, Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), to establish the subsidiary GE South Africa Technologies (Pty) Limited (GESAT), allowing the company to participate in South Africa's social and economic transformation in the rail industry.
About GE Transportation
Established more than 100 years ago, GE Transportation, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a global technology leader and supplier to the railroad, marine, drilling, mining and wind industries. GE provides freight and passenger locomotives, railway signalling and communications systems, information technology solutions, marine engines, motorized drive systems for mining trucks and drills, high-quality replacement parts and value added services. GE Transportation is headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. For more information visit www.getransportation.com.
Media Contacts GE Transportation:
Kendal Hunt
Kendal Hunt Communications
Tel.: +27-82-823-6533
[email protected]
Tom Scott
GE Transportation
Tel.: +33 635249233 (cell)
[email protected]
Tom Scott