Executive Outlook 2012: A Global Vision, Made in America

GE CEO & Chairman Jeff Immelt often discusses how global growth and demand from overseas customers represents a tremendous opportunity for U.S. manufacturing and innovation.  (In fact, GE has already discussed its plans for creating approximately 15,000 new U.S. jobs since 2009.) I strongly echo that message.

The largest exporter in the state of Nevada, GE’s Bently Nevada line has been synonymous with machinery protection and asset condition monitoring for more than 50 years. We recognize that behind every great product is a team of great people—and are extremely proud that a vast majority (more than 90%) of our products are still locally manufactured in Minden, NV, by the most experienced team in the industry. 

More than 800 strong, our U.S. team remains committed to investing in the technology solutions that have made GE’s Bently Nevada the resilient American company that it is today—namely, our continuous online condition-monitoring systems that customers know and trust to protect their most valuable and critical plant assets. 

But like any competitive industry leader, GE continuously strives to uncover new sources of innovation—both here in the United States and around the world—to create smart, differentiated technology solutions that help our customers remain at the forefront of their industries. That commitment to our customers was demonstrated by the 2011 acquisition of New Zealand-based Commtest Instruments, a company recognized globally for its leadership and innovation in portable vibration analysis and monitoring instruments. This strategic acquisition has enabled us to provide customers across the oil, gas and power-generation industries with an enhanced suite of integrated condition monitoring solutions that take into account the health of the entire plant.

And it doesn’t stop there. In addition to launching a new series of innovative, portable solutions, we continue to make forward-looking technology investments. We have plans to unveil more distributed systems and software in the near future, along with a number of exciting new technologies that align with our vision to unite all of our offerings into a comprehensive, plant-wide condition monitoring experience for our customers.

Building on our strong American heritage, we look forward to both the challenges and opportunities ahead in leading the world in condition monitoring best practices, setting new standards for tomorrow and delivering health care for our customers’ most valuable plant assets in ways never before imagined. MT