GE: find a local solution

GE Energy will be supplying equipment to the Al Dur IWPP in Bahrain.



GE also makes significant gains in the project cycle by being close to its customers. Have local assembly and testing expedites the delivery of a system to the customer by as much as 60%.

“The case for the investment was a fairly quick pay back, I can take cycle out of our business and be more responsive to our customers,” said Palmer.

“Our goal is to never lose sight of the end customer. With facilities like this and others we are distinguishing ourselves from competitors who just come in looking for someone to move his product. We have an advantage because we have the relationship with the end user, we build an installed base and we service it.”

The installed base has had a decent amount of time to grow. GE’s presence in the region is well established and the company has more than 1000 gas turbines installed across the public and private sectors, a number growing through contract wins such as Al Dur and the nearly complete work on projects for Marafiq, in Saudi Arabia.

“Power and water is the backbone and the region will continue to invest in the infrastructure, with a lot of opportunities driven by governments,” said Joe Anis, GE Energy’s regional executive and general manager for the Middle East.

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Investments in Saudi Arabia support this too. Last year GE announced a manufacturing and repair facility to be developed in Dammam and a water-focused facility opened there in June.

With this level of activity, Bahrain may not be the only kingdom where GE Energy will be staking a
claim. 

Three of the best contracts

$200 million contractual service agreement with EMAL, signed in April 2009

US$1 billion to supply turbines to SEC, signed in February 2009

US$3 billion contract with Iraq to supply gas turbines, signed in December 2008

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