From GE:

New GE Digital Commander Paralleling Switchgear Provides Mission-Critical Facilities Flexibility in Backup Power Design and Management

November 12, 2014

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GE Ensures Critical Applications Stay up and Running in Data Centers and Hospitals

DALLAS — Nov. 12, 2014 — Providing a fully digital system and design flexibility for backup power in mission-critical applications, GE (NYSE: GE) today introduced its new Digital Commander Paralleling Switchgear. GE’s new switchgear improves the management and control of backup power in systems with up to 64 automatic transfer switch or circuit breaker loads in a two-generator bus configuration. This capability prevents a generator failure from interrupting power to the most critical loads and the redirection of generator capacity to the highest priority loads.

Controls up to 64 Loads in a Two-Generator Design

Digital Commander’s two-generator bus design, coupled with its ability to control a large number of unique loads, allows a mission-critical facility to better segment its backup power, isolate problems and assign priorities for system shutdowns in the event of backup power loss. In data center applications, Digital Commander facilitates full power system backup redundancy, ensuring power is supplied to critical server loads during a utility outage. For example, in the event of a generator failure in a hospital, the facility can more readily shut down power to non-critical applications—such as a cafeteria—while keeping life-safety applications, such as electricity flowing to the operating room, up and running.

Digital Commander’s two-generator bus design also enables uninterruptible system maintenance; when one generator set is out of service, having other generators synchronized on the same bus provides the needed backup power should an outage occur. 

“If a generator fails and backup power is needed, mission-critical facilities can’t afford to have power interruptions,” said Travis Deutmeyer, product manager, GE’s Critical Power business. “Digital Commander helps to prevent these interruptions and gives facilities the flexibility to prioritize their power needs and redirect power to where it’s needed the most.”

Digital Design and Easy-to-Use Touch-Screen Controls

Digital Commander’s fully digital design eliminates analog meters and manual processes, improving reliability and cost savings. The system features an 18-inch advanced touch-screen control system that is color coded and animated for ease of operation. It also has a system-mimic capability that enables the user to see and control the entire power-generation system from a single screen. Digital Commander can be programmed with multiple passwords, allowing employees with different roles access to the system.

Digital Commander controls up to 16 generators including systems from Caterpillar Inc., Cummins, Kohler and MTU Onsite Energy. In a 16-generator system, it uses less than half the footprint for controls compared to a traditional paralleling-switchgear system.

For more information on GE’s Digital Commander Paralleling Switchgear, please visithttp://www.geindustrial.com/products/switchgear-paralleling/digital-commander-paralleling-switchgear or call +1 972 244 9288.

GE’s Critical Power business powers rapidly changing, disruptive markets where massive data, communications and computing capacity is redefining how business is done. Customers in data center, super computing, telecommunications and content industries rely on GE to provide the reliable and energy-efficient power to keep networks flowing and transactions moving 24/7. To learn more about GE’s Critical Power business, visit www.gecriticalpower.com.

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.

Follow GE’s Critical Power business on Twitter @GEcriticalpower.

From GE:

GE TO BUILD ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN PENNSYLVANIA

November 12, 2014

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$32 Million Investment to Drive Best-In-Class Technology across GE Manufacturing

• New center to develop and implement additive manufacturing technologies across GE industrial businesses
• Strengthen GE’s presence in advanced manufacturing through development of training program for GE technologists in additive manufacturing

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – November 12, 2014 – GE today announced that it will build a new manufacturing facility to drive innovation and implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies across GE. The new facility represents a $32M investment over three years by the company and will result in the creation of 50 high-tech engineering jobs initially, in disciplines ranging from mechanical and electrical to systems and software engineering. These technologists will join GE’s global network of 50,000 world-class scientists, engineers, and skilled labor who are working to solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

The new facility reflects GE’s belief that the intersection of technology and manufacturing – marrying hardware with software – is bringing a new era of manufacturing. Advanced Manufacturing is about making things better and faster for customers. It includes new digital fabrication technology, lean manufacturing methods and rapid-prototyping, advanced materials sciences, supply chain efficiency and open innovation. The facility will focus on improving capabilities and usage of additive manufacturing across GE while advancing materials sciences and inspection technologies.

Dan Heintzelman, GE vice chairman said, “Advanced manufacturing is driving a profound change in industry and at GE. It is how we will compete and win in the future. We can more efficiently invent and build products for our customers, while driving better margins for our investors. This new facility is crucial for bringing advanced manufacturing technology to all our businesses.”

Pennsylvania is already home to more than 8,500 GE employees with significant presence from GE’s Transportation, Power & Water, Oil & Gas and Energy Management business. The site will be located outside of Pittsburgh in Findlay Township, PA to capitalize on the renowned academic institutions and skilled workforce in the area. Construction is expected to begin in March 2015 to be completed by September 2015.

Governor Tom Corbett said, “By integrating education, workforce training and technology, we are cultivating a renaissance in Pennsylvania manufacturing. I am proud of the economic environment we have created to encourage global companies like GE to invest in our future and in our skilled and talented workers. The 50 high-tech jobs GE is creating with this project is terrific news for hard working families in southwest Pennsylvania.”

This facility represents another major GE investment in U.S. manufacturing technology. In the past two years alone, GE has established new Advanced Manufacturing locations for GE Power & Water in Greenville, SC; GE Aviation in Asheville, North Carolina; and GE Oil & Gas in Jacksonville, FL; while expanding work in GE Aviation in Auburn, AL and improving manufacturing at GE Aviation in Rutland, Vermont.

Changing GE manufacturing is seeing financial results. In Rutland, Vermont a $75 million investment to expand the site to allow GE Aviation to use advanced materials has led to more than $300 million in engine production savings. Next year in Auburn, AL, mass production begins on the complex interiors of fuel nozzles for the next-generation LEAP jet engine being developed by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of GE and France’s Snecma (Safran). Each engine has 20 nozzles (produced by Advanced Atomization Technologies, a GE and Parker Aerospace joint venture) with GE’s special 3D-printed interiors to make the engine more durable, lighter, and fuel efficient.  3D printing allows GE to make the nozzle interiors as one part rather than 20 individual parts, reducing the number of brazes and welds required using traditional methods.

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.

Media Contacts:

Megan Parker, GE

Megan.parker@ge.com

646-682-5605

From GE:

Gartner Names GE a Leader in “Magic Quadrant” Report for Utilities Geographic Information Systems

November 12, 2014

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ATLANTA—November 12, 2014—GE’s (NYSE: GE) Digital Energy business today announced that it has been named as one of the industry’s leading solutions provider of Utilities Geographic Information Systems software. This was announced in a recent report issued by Gartner where it analyzed the capabilities of several of GE’s competitors that offer similar Geographic Information Systems. GE was positioned the highest for ability to execute in the report.

“We are thrilled with the industry’s recognition especially from a highly reputable organization like Gartner. We believe the acknowledgement validates our R&D strategy and reinforces our commitment to help our customers manage their transmission and distribution systems with leading edge technology,” said Bryan Friehauf, product line leader—software solutions for GE’s Digital Energy business. “Today’s utilities operate in an environment where their customers are more dependent on electricity to maintain their lifestyles and operate their businesses. Our software solutions offer global utilities unique capabilities to meet their customers’ expectations and adhere to stringent regulatory requirements.”

Gartner is recognized as the transmission and distribution industry’s expert and its Magic Quadrant reports offer the most comprehensive insights about the sector and provide the industry with benchmark standards. In Gartner’s Magic Quadrant report it identified the position of competing technologies within a specific sector and assessed vendors on ‘Completeness of Vision’ and ‘Ability to Execute’ against their stated vision. 

The report positioned GE’s Digital Energy business as a leader and placed it the highest for its execution capability.

“Our technology investments in Java adoption, user interface improvements, mobility focus and key partnerships with GoogleTM and MeridiumTM have, in our opinion, clearly differentiated us from our competitors in Gartner’s report,” added Friehauf. “Our geospatial Smallworld and mobility offerings were designed from the outset to optimize utility and telecommunications design, planning and inventory. Combining Smallworld’s leading depth of product capability and integrating that with the real-time and advanced distribution management capabilities from GE Software Solutions portfolio, ensures we can lead and drive improvements across our customers’ business processes—delivering increased productivity, service level improvements and driving asset optimization and utilization.” 

GE is the only vendor to be acknowledged as a leader in both the recent Magic Quadrant for Utilities Geospatial Information Systems and the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Advanced Distribution Management Systems published March 19, 2014.

To maintain its leadership position, GE will launch its Smallworld 5 software portfolio in early 2015.

The full Gartner Magic Quadrant is available at www.gartner.com. A Gartner subscription is required.

GE’s Digital Energy business is a global leader in transmission and distribution solutions that manage and move power from the power plant to the consumer. Its products and services increase the reliability of electrical power networks and critical equipment for utility, industrial and large commercial customers. From protecting and optimizing assets such as generators, transmission lines and motors, to delivering analytic tools to help manage the power grid, GE’s Digital Energy business delivers industry-leading technologies to solve the unique challenges of each customer. For more information, visithttp://www.gedigitalenergy.com/.

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.

Follow GE’s Digital Energy business on Twitter @GEModernGrid, LinkedIn and on YouTube.

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Disclaimer

*SOURCE: Gartner, Inc. Magic Quadrant for Utilities Geographic Information Systems, September 2014

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

From GE:

GE Capital Supports Growth in Mobility Vehicles Industry

November 12, 2014

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CHICAGO, NOV 12, 2014 — GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) is working closely with mobility vehicle manufacturers and dealers as the industry experiences unprecedented growth. The mobility vehicles industry, which provides opportunity for people with disabilities to drive or be transported in vehicles modified with mobility equipment, is growing due to an aging population, an increased number of veterans and more consumer awareness around the need for private and public accessible vehicles. With the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) reporting that there are over 18 million people in the U.S. and Canada with mobility needs, it appears the industry is primed for long-term growth.

GE Capital’s CDF business is investing by working with manufacturers to provide inventory financing programs to dealers, developing relationships with trade associations supporting mobility issues and providing an experienced team. Supporting the industry since 2005, CDF currently provides inventory financing to 175 dealers across the country.  

“We have grown with the industry, navigating changes to the industry landscape together, and collaborating to meet the unique needs of this important vehicle sector,” said Tim Hyland, president of CDF’s specialty vehicles group.  “Our inventory financing portfolio has grown by double digits over the last year, and we expect this growth to continue for the next several years.”

CDF offers a variety of financial solutions to help dealers stock and merchandise product, including a program to help finance the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) subsidies provided to eligible veterans when purchasing mobility vehicles. Dealers who participate in the VA program can defer payment to CDF until they get reimbursed by the VA.

“Mobility vehicles can have a huge impact on quality of life, and we want to make sure our dealers are able to get their products to those who need it most,” said Hyland. “That’s why we work closely with our customers to design innovative programs that meet the needs of their businesses.”

Inventory financing, also known as floorplan financing, is an important element of a successful manufacturer-dealer business model. Manufacturers and distributors can benefit from enhanced product flow and increased sales opportunities, while dealers can obtain improved terms and credit availability.

About GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance

GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance provided $34 billion in financing for more than 30,000 dealers and more than 3,000 distributors and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada in 2013. Programs include inventory and accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management and related financial products. For more information, visit http://www.gecdf.com/ or follow company news via Twitter (http://twitter.com/GEInventoryFin).

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.