OREANDA-NEWS. GE will provide maintenance services and support for Rio Tinto’s locomotive network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the largest privately-owned and operated rail system in the country.

Under a five-year agreement announced today, GE will apply its expertise in locomotive service and enable more rapid access to material and parts, reducing downtime and enhancing fleet reliability. 

Dwight Van Roy, Commercial Leader for GE Transportation in Asia Pacific, said the partnership is a unique industry collaboration that will bring shared best practice with the spread of enterprise risk. 

“Working inside Rio Tinto’s maintenance workshops in Karratha and Cape Lambert, we’ll have direct line-of-sight to daily operations, and be able to respond right away to issues and advise in areas we can optimise.  As a long time manufacturer and operator of high-performance locomotives, GE is able to combine extensive product knowledge with supply chain management experience to add value to Rio Tinto's operations,” said Van Roy.

Jen Mackenzie, Rio Tinto Rail Maintenance general manager said “This partnership was able to happen because of the strong levels of trust that has been built between GE and Rio Tinto throughout our years of working together. 

“As we move into a new era for commodities, this type of business model will allow us both to focus on areas where we can deliver the most value,” said Mackenzie.

The partnership agreement builds upon GE’s regional expertise in the market.