Advanced Manufacturing & Software Technology Center
Hello, my name is Doug Dinon, and I work for GE Global Research, headquartered in Niskayuna, NY (vic. of Albany). I am the Advanced Manufacturing Site Leader establishing our new operation in Van Buren Township, Michigan. I would like to introduce what we will be doing:
For the past eight + years, GE’s Chairman has been investing in technology and R&D to stimulate new, high margin revenues through product innovation. As the technology pipeline matures, more products will be facing the challenge of rapid commercialization. Experience has shown that many of these new products demand significant advancements in manufacturing technologies and shifts in business execution methods. The risk GE faces is that technologies will outpace the ability of the company to commercialize products and ramp up manufacturing operations.
To this end, GE is starting up an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center whose stated purpose is to achieve manufacturing readiness for advanced technologies. Manufacturing readiness involves development of inspection, joining, assembly, and machining technologies that can meet the needs of new products. But it also implies the ability to prepare the support operations for execution in manufacturing. For many new products, the supply chain is significantly different than existing supply chains within host businesses. The same is true for quality methods, maintenance, finance, information technology, environmental health & safety, and sourcing.
To operationalize this concept, a cross functional team from GE Global Research and GE Aviation are developing the plan. The location is co-located with the GE Corporate I.T. initiative at the Grace Lake Corporate Center in Van Buren Twp, Michigan. GE Global Research and Aviation are partnering to bring in three full scale new manufacturing technology cells: a Ceramic Casting Program, a Spray Coatings Program, and a Composites Fiber Placement Program. The floor plans and the Engineering construction plans are being finalized. We forecast the first program will begin installation in August 2010. This new Global Research organization will include 25 on site Engineers and will integrate closely with GE Aviation’s Supply Chain Organization as well as additional Technologists from Niskayuna. This Operation will be collaborating with Visteon, local Businesses, Michigan Universities, and the Michigan Economic Development Council.
We are excited about this new opportunity in Michigan!.
We are roughly ten minutes from your new operation in Van Buren Township and wanted to inquire if General Electric would require prototype or production machining in turning, milling or Swiss screw machine applications.
Our website: http://www.4MIndustries.com.
We had made contact last January with Robert Viedeman in North Carolina but have had no further contact.
As a former GE employee the new endeavor interests me personally as well as professionally.
Your reply would be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Ray Opezzo-Business Development