OREANDA-NEWS.  GE’s Industrial Solutions business (NYSE: GE) is investing an additional USD 1.3 million in its West Burlington plant as a manufacturing center of excellence and is creating about 50 new jobs.

GE will add two product lines to its local manufacturing operations, including:

Paralleling switchgear equipment for mission-critical applications including data centers, financial systems and hospitals.
EntelliGuard* low-voltage air circuit breakers for reliable equipment and personnel protection in industrial and commercial settings.
“GE is investing in the Industrial Solutions business at the highest levels in its history,” said Bob Gilligan, CEO of GE’s Industrial Solutions business. “We’re infusing money into our operations to improve our customers’ experience in every way. Streamlining our manufacturing processes and investing in new equipment and engineering enables us to bring customers new products faster and with better quality. We’re also investing in a global information technology infrastructure to improve communication and coordination between the sales team, the supply chain and customers.”

Today, GE is hosting a “Power to Perform” rally for more than 200 of its employees along with area business leaders and government guests including Congressman Dave Loebsack and West Burlington Mayor Hans Trousil. “Power to Perform” is a grassroots effort to spark creativity and innovation among employees who are encouraged to work in simpler, smarter and faster ways to improve customer responsiveness.

“Today’s announcement by GE will lead to the creation of high-quality, high-paying jobs right here in Southeast Iowa,” said Representative Dave Loebsack. “Iowa has a strong manufacturing base, and investments like this will help grow our economy and put Iowans back to work. GE’s decision to invest in the West Burlington plant demonstrates how strong Iowa’s workforce is and the strength and competitiveness of Iowa manufacturing.”

Stuart Thompson, general manager of GE’s Power Equipment business, said, “This investment enables us to take customer responsiveness one step further by optimizing production with advanced manufacturing capabilities.”

GE’s global investments focus on redefining the Industrial Solutions product portfolio and accelerating its ability to deliver high-quality solutions faster than ever before through rapid prototyping with 3-D printing and early customer feedback and validation.

“This is an exciting day for us,” said Chad Ebeling, GE’s plant manager in West Burlington. “The investments and job creation are true testaments to our employees’ hard work and dedication. We have a committed and passionate team that takes pride in their jobs and in manufacturing high-quality electrical distribution products. We’re thrilled to bring these new product lines and new jobs to West Burlington.”