GE Opens China Innovation Center in Chengdu

CHENGDU, China, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- General Electric Co (GE) announced that a China Innovation Center (CIC) has been completed in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, southwest China. Located in the west park of the Chengdu High-tech Industrial Development Zone (CDHT), CIC Chengdu is the first functional innovation center of GE worldwide. According to GE, CIC Chengdu will combine research and development sections with marketing ones, focusing on local healthcare, shale gas drilling technology, new industrial automation solution, green energy and so on.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120530/CN15920-a)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120530/CN15920-b)

"We believe open innovation practices, especially the customer co-creation approach embodied in CIC Chengdu, is essential for multinational technology companies such as GE as we participate and contribute to China's future growth," Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said in Chengdu today.

The new center will localize its business, building on local capabilities and developing local resources by working with customers and partners in exploring new technical solution for the needs of the local market. It is said that $80 million of investment has been used in the construction, recruitment, and operation of the new project. The building in the west park of CDHT covers an office space of 33,500 square meters with more than 30 laboratories, providing customers and over 500 employees advanced facilities and equipments.

Ranking as the 4thof the national high-tech zones, CDHT (Chengdu High-tech Industrial Development Zone) has not only appealed GE, but also attracted other global industrial tycoons such as Intel, TI, Foxconn, Dell, Lenovo, Siemens and Philips, which forms clusters of Integrated circuits, photoelectric displays, software and service outsourcing and electronic terminals manufacturing in the area. In 2011, CDHT's industrial value-added output rose 25.2 % to 70.65 billion RMB. The value-added of large industrial enterprises increased 36.4% to 40.87 billion RMB. Fixed asset investment totaled 48.96 billion RMB, up 22.1%. Value of export reached 11.61 billion US dollars, up 222.5%. Total revenue reached 21.67 billion RMB, up 36.92%.