- Over the Last Six Years, GE has Invested More than $250 Million in "In China, For China" Projects to Develop Leading, Energy Efficient Technologies
- Opening of New Manufacturing Plant and Center of Excellence Highlights GE's Commitment to the Chinese Market
- GE Provides Students with Training, Internship and Job Opportunities through Strategic Partnerships with Leading Chinese Universities
SHANGHAI---December 4, 2013---Today alongside distinguished guests, decision-makers and thought leaders from across industries, GE's Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) expanded on its commitment to innovation and state-of-art technology made in China, for China.
The year 2013 marks the sixth anniversary of the In China, For China strategy. More than $250 million has been invested into projects with the purpose of developing leading technologies for Chinese customers and providing cost-effective products and solutions to help them achieve greater energy efficiency. Under this initiative, more than 10 new products have been launched into the market this year with positive market feedback in China and beyond.
With a new factory opening earlier this year in Shanghai and the development of an innovation center of excellence for the metals industry set to open in Wuhan in 2014, GE's Power Conversion business is committed to building on the high quality of local Chinese engineering capabilities to produce tomorrow's innovative products in the domain of energy transformation. These investments help to firmly position GE's Power Conversion business as the partner of choice for Chinese industry as they work together to meet the energy challenges of tomorrow.
"We are here in China, for China, for the long-term development of our company," said GE's Power Conversion business Chief Executive Officer Joe Mastrangelo. "By working closely as a local technology driver, we build the systems and solutions that will contribute to the region, increasing output while using significantly less energy. The potential for making energy efficiency gains in China and for Chinese companies is enormous, and our partnership is only just beginning. "
As a strategic partner to China, GE's Power Conversion business is building on four key strengths:
Innovation
In January 2014, GE will open a center of excellence (COE) in Wuhan with a focus on metals automation, including hot rolling mill, cold rolling mill and processing lines.
The metals COE will help local and global metals companies gain competitive advantages by providing solutions that meet their toughest challenges. It integrates both GE's state-of-the-art technology and customers' process experience to develop solutions that produce more with less energy and driving to keep the industry competitive.
Considered as the nucleus of innovation, GE's China Technology Center (CTC) is a multi-disciplinary research center for broader applications. It conducts leading-edge research, engineering development and sourcing for GE's diverse businesses across the world. The focus of the center is to create innovative products and systems for GE businesses.
The CTC is an integral part of GE Global Research and one of five such multidisciplinary research facilities within GE. At the CTC, scientists, researchers and engineers work in virtual teams with their counterparts worldwide in areas like power electronics, real-time/power controls, advanced manufacturing technologies, process sensing and control, medical imaging technologies, materials science, chemical sciences and materials characterization/analysis.
"It is quite encouraging to see more and more China innovations serving not only the needs of Chinese customers, but also needs of global customers," said Xiangli Chen, president of the GE China Technology Center. "It is only through close integration of local market needs and technology can success been achieved in enterprises' R&D efforts."
Talent
Building tomorrow's leaders starts through partnerships with key educational institutions. In April of this year, GE's Power Conversion business partnered with Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) to set up laboratory facilities, the first of its kind in China, which will execute jointly, agreed research and development programs. GE's Power Conversion business will provide students with opportunities for internships and training, which could lead to future employment.
The cooperation program and the dedicated facilities will form the foundation of training for students, teachers as well as operators and can be extended to customers in the region and the certification of professional technicians.
"Supporting education and build-out of local capabilities is part of our philosophy of open innovation," says Liu Bo, president of GE's Power Conversion business in China. "The internships will offer training and work experience. The programs also will help train teaching staff of the university and will include site visits and lectures at our other global facilities in the U.K. and France."
Energy Efficiency
Developed and built in China, and aimed principally at Chinese applications, GE's Power Conversion business launched the air-cooled M6 Series Drive aiming in particular at the expanding oil and gas market in China as well as at power plants and other industrial applications.
It uses a simple, flat-pack power stack architecture to achieve high reliability and availability and low cost of ownership. A key feature of the drive is that users have a choice of input rectifier. The drive can be fitted with either a 36-pulse diode front-end (DFE) or an active front-end (AFE), both of which provide clean harmonic input signatures.
The AFE is the best choice for applications that require motoring and regenerative braking operations. Its transformer-less design provides very high efficiency (over 97.5 percent), reducing operating costs.
Since the AFE is smaller, it requires less space and air conditioning so it greatly reduces the control room heat as well. The AFE also is lighter than the DFE and therefore easier to transport.
Localization
With the opening in 2013 of a new 10,000-square-meter production plant in Shanghai that will employ nearly 300 people, GE's Power Conversion business is adding to its already strong production footprint by increasing capacity for building ProWind converters and M6 Series drives.
"We initiate global quality and standards, localized solutions and world-class service. This, combined with upgrading Power Conversion's R&D capacities, means that the company becomes an even stronger partner in the development of China's infrastructure with increasingly efficient technologies," said Liu Bo, president and CEO for GE's Power Conversion business in China. "Products here are designed, manufactured and delivered in China, for China, and we're continually expanding our technologies and solutions so that customers across the globe can benefit from the innovation started here in China."
About GE Power Conversion
GE's Power Conversion business applies the science and systems of power conversion to help drive the electrification of the world's energy infrastructure by designing and delivering advanced motor, drive and control technologies that evolve today's industrial processes for a cleaner, more productive future. Serving specialized sectors such as energy, marine, oil and gas, renewables and industry, through customized solutions and advanced technologies, GE Power Conversion partners with customers to maximize efficiency. To learn more, please visit: www.gepowerconversion.com.
Follow GE's Power Conversion business on Twitter @GE_PowerConvers and on Linkedin.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
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