GE top　　　　　SABIC Innovative Plastics

March 27, 2003　GE PLASTIC

GE Plastics announces the next generation of Polycarboneate: Clear LEXAN® EXL Resin
--New Transparent Material Improves Durability and Impact Strength of Standard Polycarbonate Resin--
　　　　http://www.geplastics.com/press_pack/03_03_27.html

GE Plastics, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) headquartered here, today announced the development of clear LEXAN® EXL resin, a new transparent polymer.

朝日新聞　2003/10/11

米ＧＥ、英医療・薬品大手の買収発表

電機、金融などの米複合企業ゼネラル・エレクトリック（ＧＥ）は１０日、ゲノム（遺伝情報）解析装置などを手がける英医療・薬品大手アマシャムの全株式を取得して買収すると発表した。

2003/11/10 General Electric

Recommended share exchange acquisition by General Electric Company and GE Investments, Inc. of Amersham plc
　　http://www.ge.com/files/usa/en/company/news/Press_Release.pdf

GE and Amersham announce their agreement on the terms of a recommended share exchange acquisition by GE of Amersham.

　

Information on Amersham

Amersham, headquartered in the UK, is a global leader in medical diagnostics and life sciences. The Amersham Group employs over 10,000 people worldwide and had sales of £1.6 billion ($2.4 billion) in 2002. The Amersham Group was formed in 1997 through the mergers of Amersham International (UK), Pharmacia Biotech (Sweden) and Nycomed (Norway).
Amersham has three main business areas: medical diagnostics, operating as Amersham Health, and protein separations and discovery systems, together operating as Amersham Biosciences.

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2004年4月8日 GE 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　日本メジフィジックスの改組

米ゼネラル・エレクトリック、英アマシャム社の買収を完了
GE Healthcareを設立、新時代のヘルスケアソリューションを提供

米ゼネラル・エレクトリック（GE）は本日、診断薬やライフサイエンス分野における世界的なリーディングカンパニーである英アマシャム社の全発行済み株式を取得し買収を完了しました。これにより、GEの医療事業部門（画像診断、サービス、ヘルスケアITのグローバルリーダー）は従来のGEメディカルシステムから、「GE Healthcare」と名称を変更、2005年には160億ドルの売上を見込んでいます。

今回の買収によって誕生するGE Healthcareは、医療用画像診断装置の開発・製造・販売やサービス、ヘルスケアITビジネスを展開する売上高110億ドルの「GE Healthcare Technologies」と、旧アマシャムのビジネスを受け継ぐ売上高30億ドルの「GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences」の2つの事業部門からなります。

GE Healthcareは英チャルフォント セントジャイルズ、GE Healthcare Technologiesは米ウィスコンシン州ウォーカシャ、GE Healthcare Bio-Sciencesは英リトルチャルフォントにそれぞれ本社を置きます。

「最先端技術ならびにサービスに裏打ちされたGE Healthcareの設立は、今後のヘルスケア業界にとって大きなターニングポイントとなります。」とGEの会長兼CEOのジェフリー・イメルトは述べています。「ビル・キャステル氏と彼のチームをGEに迎え入れることができ、こうしたビジョンを現実のものとできることを大変光栄に思います。キャステル氏がリーダーシップを発揮し、GEメディカルシステムとアマシャムという2つの成長力のあるビジネスプラットフォームをうまく融合していくことを期待しています」

今回のアマシャム買収により、GEは以下のようなメリットを享受することを期待しています。

• 画像診断や診断薬、更に創薬など多岐にわたる専門性を持つヘルスケア企業設立による、GEのヘルスケアビジネスの新たな幕開け
• 最先端のテクノロジーとサービスを有し、2004年の連結売上高が140億ドルを上回る巨大ヘルスケアビジネスの創造
• 造影剤や医薬の迅速な開発および製品化によって、分子レベルの診断画像やテーラーメイド医療を加速化し、過去にないほどの早期診断、早期治療ならびに経過観察の実現
• 両社の製品やサービスを提供する新たなチャネルをグローバルで増加することによるカバーできる顧客基盤の拡大

「GEがアマシャム社の買収を完了したことで、本日『GE Healthcare』という新しくエキサイティングなヘルスケア企業が誕生しました」と、アマシャム社買収完了に伴いウィリアム・キャステルは述べています。「GEの工学、物理学およびITにおける伝統と技術に、アマシャム社の生物学・化学分野における経験とスキルを組み合わせることで、私たちのビジョン達成が促進されるとともに、新時代のヘルスケアが提供可能になるのです。GE Healthcareは既に診断ヘルスケアでは世界的なリーディングカンパニーです。今後は、医薬やバイオテクノロジー、ならびにバイオリサーチ分野のサービスをグローバルに提供することで、診断全般における世界No. 1の企業を目指します」

GEについて
GEは、テクノロジー、メディア、金融サービスという多様な分野でお客さまの満足をめざす企業です。世界100カ国以上で事業を展開し、約30万人の従業員を擁しています。日本においても100年以上にわたって事業展開しており、社員は約10,000人を数えます。

GE Healthcareについて
GE Healthcareは今後の患者に対するケアの主流となる医療技術を提供します。同社は画像診断装置やIT、医薬、生体情報モニタ、疾病リサーチ、創薬、ならびにバイオ製剤など広範囲にわたるビジネスを展開し、疾病の早期発見や各患者に合わせたテーラーメイド医療に寄与します。GE Healthcareはヘルスケア分野での生産性向上や、がんやアルツハイマー、心血管疾患患者などの診断や治療、経過観察能力向上に貢献するサービスを広範囲にわたって提供しています。

GE Healthcareは米ゼネラル・エレクトリック（GE）の医療事業部門で、140億ドルの売上規模を有します。本社を英国に置く同社は全世界で42,500人を超える社員を抱え、世界100カ国以上で医療従事者ならびにその患者にヘルスケアサービスを提供しています。同社のホームページアドレスはwww.gehealthcare.comです。

Jan 31, 2005 General Electric

GE DEDICATES THIRD PHASE OF GE ADVANCED MATERIALS, PLASTICS COMPLEX IN CARTAGENA
http://www.geplastics.com/press_pack/05_01_31.html

General Electric (NYSE: GE) officially dedicated today its new LEXAN* resin plant in Cartagena, Murcia, at an event hosted by Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. This is the third phase of the GE Advanced Materials, Plastics complex and represents an investment of 600 million euros. The planned construction of a fourth phase, GE’s ULTEM*(ポリエーテルイミド) resins plant, was also announced during the inaugural event.

The inauguration of GE’s 2nd Cartagena LEXAN* resin plant brings its total investment in the Cartagena complex to 1,700 million euros. This represents one of the largest private investments in Spain in the last 20 years and confirms that GE is one of the biggest private investors in the Spanish economy.

The new GE plant has the capacity of producing approximately 130,000 tons of LEXAN* resin per year.

2007/1/9 Wallstreet Journal

GE Sets Private-Equity Limits

General Electric Co. has asked for bids on its plastics business, valued at as much as $10 billion, in an auction that appears to reflect new concerns from the Justice Department about the lack of competition among possible private-equity buyers.

British Plastics & Rubber Industry News 2007/1/9

GE Plastics up for sale ?

Speculation is running high that General Electric is in talks to sell GE Plastics. The sale of GE Plastics was pitched as likely after GE sold its Advanced Materials division to Apollo Management in September. Now US financial commentators say that the business is being auctioned, with private equity companies likely to pay as much as $10 billion.
While GE Plastics is a profitable operation, its profits fell 23 per cent in the third quarter as raw material costs rose, and a sale is seen as a likely continuation by GE chief executive Jeffrey Immelt of a policy of disposals of vulnerable businesses and acquisitions of high fliers: he has spent nearly $70 billion on acquisitions in areas such as health care since becoming chief executive in 2001, according to one source.
Goldman Sachs is reported to be managing bids for the business, and while equity companies are seen as the most likely purchasers, commentators have tipped BASF and Dow Chemical as possible contenders, while SABIC is quoted as saying that it may bid if the company was put up for sale.

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GEプラスチックス

マサチューセッツ州ピッツフィールドに本社を置くGEプラスチックスは、ゼネラルエレクトリック社の一員です。
1953年に最初のエンジニアリングプラスチックであるレキサン(R)ポリカーボネート樹脂を開発して以来、GEプラスチックスは、常に新しいプラスチック技術の開発、時代の要求を先取りした製品開発に力を注ぎ、高性能ポリマーのトップメーカの地位を維持し続けてきました。

また世界のすみずみをカバーするために、GEプラスチックスは、現地化を積極的に推進しています。成長著しいアジア・パシフィック地域では、日本を中心にマーケティング活動を行っています。日本・韓国・中国・シンガポール・オーストラリアにコンパウンディング工場をもち、タイにも2000年より工場を稼動して、その競争力を強化しています。全世界にまたがる拠点展開により、GEプラスチックスは、グローバルネットワークによる技術サービス体制と、高品質の製品を迅速にお届けできる体制を確立しています。


GE、三井化学（株）、および長瀬産業（株）の合弁会社である日本ジーイープラスチックスは、 ノリル(R)変性PPO樹脂、 レキサン(R)ポリカーボネート樹脂に代表される高機能エンジニアリングプラスチックを製造、販売しています。

日本ジーイープラスチックスは、GEプラスチックスのアジア地域でのマーケティングの中核として重要な役割を担っています。多様化する市場ニーズに応え、耐熱・耐薬品・難燃・強度等に優れた革新的な素材の提供にとどまらず、お客様の製品開発時におけるデザインコンセプトの立案から設計支援まで、最適なソリューションを提供しています。


Products

・NORYL （変性PPE樹脂）
・NORYL PPX （PP/PPE樹脂）
・NORYL GTX（PA/PPE樹脂)
・LEXAN （PC樹脂）
・VALOX（PBT樹脂）
・ULTEM （PEI 樹脂 polyetherimide）
・CYCOLOY （PC/ABS樹脂）
・CYCOLAC(ABS)
・エンデュラン （PBT樹脂）
・XENOY （PC/PBT樹脂）
・XYLEX （PC/ポリエステル樹脂）
・GELOY (ASA)

LNP Compounds （川崎製鉄、ＧＥにエンプラコンパウンド事業全面売却）

結晶性、非晶性を問わず、PP等の汎用樹脂からPEI,　PEEK等の高機能樹脂まで30種類以上の熱可塑性樹脂と様々なフィラーの組み合わせにより、今までに得ることのできなかった樹脂の性能と可能性を引き出します。高剛性、高耐熱、耐磨耗性、高寸法精度を兼ね備えた摺動性材　Lubricomp, 通常の摺動材では不可能とされていたECO難燃性を持つLubriloy,　あるいは2次加工を不要とする電磁波遮蔽材Faradex がその代表的な例です。

Thermocomp 　(サーモコンプ) / 強化・充填 より強い、寸法精度の良い部品のために・・・
Thermocomp　 HSG / 高比重 重い部品を大量生産するために・・・
Thermotuf 　（サーモタフ） / 耐衝撃 割れやすい・欠けやすい部品のために・・・
Lubricomp 　（ルブリコンプ） / 内部潤滑 磨り減りやすい・騒音のする摺動部品のために・・・
Lubriloy 　（ルブリロイ） / 内部潤滑（アロイ） より低いコストを目指す摺動部品のために・・・
Stat-Kon 　（スタットコン） / 導電性 静電気放電でお困りの部品のために・・・
Stat-Loy 　（スタットロイ） / 永久帯電防止 帯電でお悩みの部品のために・・・
Faradex 　（ファラデックス） / 電磁波遮蔽 電磁波による誤動作でお困りの部品のために・・・
Konduit 　（コンデュイット） / 熱伝導 温度が上昇すると不具合の起こる部品のために・・・
Verton 　(バートン) / 高強度・高弾性率 金属部品を樹脂化したい時に・・・
Starflam 　（スターフラム） / 難燃 環境規制に適合する材料をお探しのときに・・・

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John F. Welch, Jr. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　私の履歴書
　　Chairman & CEO, 1981 - 2001

Mr. Welch, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric from 1981-2001.

Mr. Welch was born in Salem in 1935. He received his B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts in 1957 and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois in 1960.

In 1960, Mr. Welch joined GE as a chemical engineer for its Plastics division in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was elected the company's youngest Vice President in 1972 and was named Vice Chairman in 1979. In December 1980 it was announced that he would succeed Reginald H. Jones and in April 1981 he became the eighth Chairman and CEO. Mr. Welch retired as Chairman and CEO of General Electric in September 2001.

In September 2001, Mr. Welch published his autobiography, "Jack, Straight From The Gut." The book quickly jumped to the #1 spot on bestseller lists from "The New York Times," "The Wall Street Journal," Amazon.com, "USA Today" Non-Fiction and the Association of Independent Booksellers.

In addition to his new role as author, Mr. Welch serves as a consultant to a small group of Fortune 500 business CEOs.

2007/1/12 AsiaPulse via COMTEX

Inida's Reliance Industries eyeing GE's Plastics unit

Mukesh Ambani group flagship Reliance Industries, the country's largest private company, is eyeing global conglomerate GE's Plastics unit, estimated to be valued at about US$10 billion.

The company has been looking for opportunities to expand its presence in petrochemicals and plastics businesses across the world, as part of which it had unsuccessfully pursued acquisition of UK energy giant BP Plc's petrochemicals business Innovene last year, sources said.

In the past, RIL had acquired German speciality polyester manufacturer Trevira for 80 million euro (Rs 430 crore, US$103.76 million) a couple of years ago.

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JANUARY 12, 2007　 India Times

RIL in race for GE Plastics

MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani group flagship Reliance Industries is said to be exploring the possibility of joining the bidding race for General Electric's underperforming plastics business, estimated to be valued at about $10 billion.

Analysts have speculated that GE Plastics could attract a range of global contenders ranging from the US-based Dow Chemicals, Du Pont, Rohm and Haas, and PetroChina.


So far, Reliance has just begun developing a domestic market for superior engineering plastic by working closely with Videocon and Maruti. "Despite being among the top ten plastic manufacturers in the world, we are unable to service large global customers.
On the other hand, GE Plastics has a significant presence in the superior engineering plastics business and a history of strong relationship of working closely with global automotive majors," the official added.


Sources say Reliance is said to be exploring a tie-up with Dow Chemicals. The US major has signed an MoU with Reliance to set up a unit in Reliance's Jamnagar SEZ. In turn, Dow would offer a substantial stake in its struggling petrochem unit in the US.

A formal announcement is expected anytime. Sources say the bid for GE Plastics is contingent on whether Reliance is able to expand its strategic relationship with Dow Chemicals.

日本経済新聞夕刊　2007/1/19

米ＧＥ、買収戦略を加速　今月で3社目 医薬診断事業も取得
　低収益部門売却へ　取捨選択鮮明に

ＧＥが買収するのは試験管を使った血液検査機器など。糖尿病機器やエイズ検査に使う分子診断薬などは含まれない。

ＧＥの医療機器部門の売上高は150億ドルで全体の１割を占めるが、買収する事業をＧＥが得意とする情報技術と組み合わせて強化する。
ＧＥは8日にＪＰモルガン･パートナーズなどの投資ファンドから、原油採掘関連機器のベトコ･グレイを19億ドルで買収すると発表。15日には自動車・航空部品大手の英スミス･グループの航空宇宙部門を48億ドルで買収することも決めた。

2006/1/18 GE

GE to Acquire Abbott’s in vitro and Point-of-Care Diagnostics Businesses for $8.13 Billion, Broadening Capabilities in Growing Global Industry

General Electric Company and Abbott, a global leader in medical diagnostic instruments and tests, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for GE to acquire Abbott’s primary in vitro diagnostics businesses and Abbott Point-of-Care diagnostics business (formerly known as i-STAT) for $8.13 billion in cash. Abbott’s Molecular Diagnostics and Diabetes Care businesses are not part of the transaction and will remain part of Abbott.

Feb 08, 2007 Chemweek's Business Daily

GE Plastics, PetroChina Suspend Work China Polycarbonate Project

Plans for a world-scale polycarbonate (PC) joint venture plant in China between GE Plastics and PetroChina have been suspended, according to officials with GE Plastics. The outlook for demand in China remains very strong but recent and planned capacity additions have pressured margins.

March 26 2007 Financial Times

Saudis line up bid for GE plastics division

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, the largest public company in the Middle East, is lining up a bid for General Electric's plastics division in a deal that could be valued at up to $12bn.

Sabic has appointed Citigroup to prepare an indicative offer ahead of the first round of the auction in mid-April. The move underlines the appetite of Gulf state investment funds for investments outside home markets.


Among those bidding are Blackstone, the US private equity firm, which has teamed up with privately owned Koch Industries.

It will face competition from buy-out firm Apollo, which last year acquired GE's $3.8bn advanced materials business, and which is also preparing its bid for the plastics business.

Separately, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Carlyle Group and Bain Capital are thought to be planning first-round offers.

Strategic players that have signalled an interest include Reliance Industries, India's largest listed group, and Basell, the plastics maker owned by Access Industries of the US and India's Chatterjee Group.

It is not clear whether BASF, one of the largest suppliers of plastic, will participate in the auction after recent remarks from the company suggested the division may be too expensive.

May 18, 2007　　

GE selling plastics arm to Saudi group Sabic: report

General Electric is close to selling its plastics division to Saudi conglomerate Saudi Basic Industries Corp in a deal worth nearly 11 billion dollars, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The newspaper also reported that the deal was not expected to run into political problems, unlike the effort by Dubai Ports World last year to take over management of several US ports, which failed due to worries over security issues.

ロイターはBasell はGE Plastics 買収から離脱したと報じている。
（その結果、Basell と Lyondell の合併の可能性が出てきたと）

2007/5/21　GE 　　　　　　　　　本件ブログ

GE Announces Sale of Plastics Business to SABIC for $11.6 Billion; Industrial Portfolio Transformed for Stronger Growth; Proceeds to Be Used for Stock Buyback

GE today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell GE Plastics to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), a globally respected petrochemicals manufacturer, in a deal valued at $11.6 billion in cash plus assumption of liabilities. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals, and is targeted for the third quarter of 2007.


GE will receive net after-tax proceeds from the sale of approximately $9 billion. The proceeds will be principally used to re-launch the current stock buyback, increasing the 2007 planned share repurchase from $6 billion to $7-to-8 billion. The sale will generate an approximate after-tax gain of $1.5 billion, which will be used to fund restructuring across GE’s businesses and the share repurchase.

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Platts　2007/8/3

European Commission clears SABIC acquisition of GE plastics

The European Commission announced Friday that it has cleared the proposed $11.6 billion acquisition of the US' GE Plastics by SABIC that was announced on May 21.

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cnn.money.com

The GE Plastics will become part of SABIC Americas, which is based in Houston and is the hub of Sabic's U.S. operations. It has operated in the U.S. for more than 20 years and currently operates long-term partnerships with a number of companies including ExxonMobil and Shell .

Sabic Innovative Plastics
The name change is expected to be official sometime in September, officials said.

Plast Europe 2007/7/5

Sabic: GE's Chinese polycarbonate project abandoned

Sabic does not plan to pursue the joint polycarbonate project in China that had been planned by GE Plastics in partnership with PetroChina.

As Sabic is building its own PC plant in Saudi Arabia, there is no need for a Chinese facility, a company spokesman told PIE.
The Saudi group is in the process of acquiring GE Plastics.

2007/7/11 GE

GE Announces Termination of Contract with Abbott

General Electric announced today that GE and Abbott have agreed to mutually terminate their agreement relating to GE’s acquisition of Abbott’s primary in-vitro and point-of-care diagnostics businesses. GE and Abbott worked diligently to complete the transaction but were unable to reach agreement on final terms and conditions. As a result, they agreed it was in the best interests of both companies to mutually terminate their agreement and discussions.

2007年4月25日、EUの規制当局は、Abbott社の2つの診断事業をGeneral Electric買収することを承認

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2007/7/11 Abbott

GEAbbott Announces Termination of Contract with GE

Abbott and GE have mutually agreed to terminate their contract for the sale of Abbott’s core laboratory and point-of-care diagnostics businesses to GE. The two companies were unable to agree on final terms and conditions of the proposed sale.

This has no impact on Abbott’s previously issued earnings-per-share guidance, excluding specified items, for the full-year 2007 or the second quarter. Abbott’s earnings outlook for 2008 also remains unchanged.

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2007/7/12 Business Week

Abbott, GE end diagnostics sale

Analysts said Thursday that Abbott Laboratories may have stopped the sale of its diagnostics division to General Electric Co. because of lingering problems with the Food and Drug Administration.

Analysts including Jon Wood of Banc of America said the cancellation may be connected to issues at Abbott's Irving, Texas plant. In March, the FDA warned Abbott that there were problems with testing instruments at the facility.

Banc of America's Glenn Novarro said GE may have wanted to modify the deal.

"While neither company is commenting on the specifics for GE's decision/ability to walk, the fact that Abbott is allowing them to walk without paying a breakup fee strongly suggests GE had a solid case to either renegotiate or terminate the deal," he said.

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bloomberg.com

Inside the U.S., Abbott's diagnostic unit has been hampered by manufacturing issues that have had the division under U.S. Food and Drug Administration supervision since 1999. All but one manufacturing site passed FDA inspection within recent months, said Brotz. Inspections are done under what is called a consent decree.

At an investor conference in Florida in May, Immelt told shareholders the transaction was ``complicated.''
``The complexity is really driven around it being an asset deal that has got a very complicated footprint, so there are a lot of transition service agreements,'' Immelt said. ``It being in a consent decree, as Abbott has been, clearly we are not going to acquire the company with regulatory risk. And they wouldn't expect that either.''

Dec 10, 2007 Reuters

GE, Novavax team up on pandemic flu vaccine

The GE Healthcare unit of General Electric Co and Novavax Inc. on Monday said they will collaborate to develop a system to manufacture pandemic （流行）flu vaccine that will be far speedier and less costly than standard techniques.

Novavax, a tiny U.S. biotechnology company, is already conducting early stage trials of its H5N1 pandemic flu vaccine, using the company's so-called virus-like particle (VLP) technology to quickly produce the vaccine in a cell culture -- growing cells in an artificial medium. Traditional vaccines, by contrast, typically are manufactured in chicken eggs through a time-consuming process.

February 26, 2008 SABIC Innovative 　

SABIC Innovative Plastics begins producing long glass fiber-reinforced composites in Korea to better serve Asian customers

To provide enhanced service and support for customers in Korea and Asia - the fastest-growing market in the world - SABIC Innovative Plastics today announced the opening of a major production line at its Chung-Ju, Korea facility. The new line will produce LNP* Verton* long glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, which are widely used across the burgeoning automotive, telecommunications, and appliance industries in Asia. The company’s continued investment in new production facilities such as the LNP Verton composite line is designed to provide customers with a local source of innovative product solutions and technological expertise.



SABIC Innovative Plastics continues to expand its Korean presence to meet the diverse needs of manufacturers and molders. The LNP Verton production line, which will begin operating this month, will run 20 grades of the composites in a variety of resin systems including Polypropylene, Poly Amide and PPA. The new line significantly expands the Chung-Ju facility, which was opened in 1989. The Chung-Ju plant houses a 40,000-ton high-tech manufacturing system, material properties testing equipment, and color-matching equipment to meet customer requirements. The plant develops colors and materials through Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma; the latter is a business improvement methodology that combines tools from Lean Manufacturing for speed and Six Sigma for quality. The result is the highest-quality service with strict quality management (ISO 9002, ISO 14001).

2008/5/14 NYT

G.E. Looks to Sell Its Appliances Unit

General Electric is planning to sell its appliances division, one of the longest-running businesses in the conglomerate’s 120-year history, a person briefed on the matter said Wednesday.



Though the appliance business comprises a small portion of G.E.’s $173 billion in annual revenue, divorcing it from the company would carry great historical import. Since it began selling appliances in 1907, the division has grown to more than $7 billion in annual revenue as it sells a wide range of products, including refrigerators, microwaves and dishwashers. Among the appliances it has introduced are the room air-conditioner (1930), the combined washer-dryer unit (1954) and the toaster oven (1956).

Last year, it sold its plastics business - where both Mr. Immelt and his predecessor, John F. Welch Jr., worked early in their careers - to Sabic, the big Saudi Arabian industrials company, for $11.6 billion.

Hudson River PCBs 　　　http://www.epa.gov/hudson/

The Hudson River PCBs Site encompasses a nearly 200-mile stretch of the Hudson River in eastern New York State from Hudson Falls, New York to the Battery in New York City and includes communities in fourteen New York counties and two counties in New Jersey. The site is divided into the Upper Hudson River, which runs from Hudson Falls to the Federal Dam at Troy (a distance of approximately 40 miles), and the Lower Hudson River, which runs from the Federal Dam at Troy to the southern tip of Manhattan at the Battery in New York City. For purposes of this project, EPA further divided the Upper Hudson River area into three main sections known as River Section 1, River Section 2, and River Section 3.

From approximately 1947 to 1977, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from its capacitor manufacturing plants at the Hudson Falls and Fort Edward facilities into the Hudson River.

The primary health risk associated with the site is the accumulation of PCBs in the human body through eating contaminated fish. Since 1976, high levels of PCBs in fish have led New York State to close various recreational and commercial fisheries and to issue advisories restricting the consumption of fish caught in the Hudson River. PCBs are considered probable human carcinogens and are linked to other adverse health effects such as low birth weight, thyroid disease, and learning, memory, and immune system disorders. PCBs in the river sediment also affect fish and wildlife.

2001/8/1

米環境保護局、ＧＥに河川浄化命令――ＰＣＢ問題で仮決定、工事費総額５億ドル

　米ゼネラル・エレクトリック（ＧＥ）の工場廃棄物がニューヨーク州北部の河川汚染を招いたとされる問題で、米環境保護局 （ＥＰＡ）は1日までに、同社に対し河川の浄化を命じる仮決定を下した。総額は約5億ドルで、企業に命じられた河川浄化の費用としては過去最大規模となる 見通しだ。

　問題になっているのはニューヨーク州・ハドソン川の一部に1940年代から70年代にかけてＧＥが排出したとされる有害物質のポリ塩化ビフェニール（ＰＣＢ）。

　ＧＥは1日、仮決定について「遺憾」とする声明を発表した。「すでに過去20年間にわたって2億ドルもつぎ込み、環境調査や対策を講じた」とする一方、「大掛かりな工事は川の美観や生態系を損なう」と反論している。

　正式な命令は1カ月以内に下る見通しだが、引退直前のジャック・ウェルチ・ＧＥ会長にとっては、ハネウエル買収の破談に続く「二つ目の汚点」に発展する可能性もある。ハドソン川のＰＣＢ問題はゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）などとの間でも起きており、全米に議論を呼び起こす可能性もでてきた。

2001/12/6

Environmental officials in the U.S. have ordered General Electric Co. to pay to remove tons of poisonous PCBs from the upper Hudson River.

The large dredging operation is expected to cost nearly $500 million. If GE refuses to clean up the river, the Environmental Protection Agency could start the work on its own and charge the company up to triple the cost.

GE argues dredging would stir up the pollutants and cause them to flow downstream. Environmentalists caution much of the pollution was dispersed widely into the environment and cannot be recovered.

Local residents near the cleanup area in upstate New York fear an estimated 100,000 dump-truck loads of sludge will be put in nearby landfills. The EPA says residents will have a say, and regulations controlling air quality and noise will be placed on the cleanup operation.

The agency said the actual dredging will not begin until a detailed plan of the project is completed, which could take about three years.

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September 10, 2008

EPA: General Electric Must Revise River Clean Up Plan

General Electric's cleanup proposal for PCB contamination of the Housatonic River south of Pittsfield, Massachusetts raises more than 150 concerns, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The river sediment is polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, south of the GE property where the company formerly manufactured electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors.

In comments sent to GE in a letter Tuesday, the federal agency details issues that are inadequately addressed in the company's Corrective Measures Study, especially regarding impacts on the river ecosystem during cleanup work, and impacts on aesthetic enjoyment of the area by local residents.

EPA concerns that the CMS as submitted did not adequately address impacts to the river ecosystem, to sensitive species, and to aesthetic, recreational and quality-of-life values of the river for area residents.

GE study does not provide adequate detail on potential placement of a landfill for consolidation of, or facilities for treatment of, the contaminated sediment that will be removed from the river. Nor did GE adequately evaluate the use of rail transportation for off-site disposal alternatives.