Gulf Construction Online - GE continues to grow on regional presence

Germany & the Mideast

GE continues to grow on regional presence

01 March 2006

GE Bayer Silicones is continuing to expand its footprint across the region to meet increasing demand from its growing customer base.

The recent completion of its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in Jebel Ali Free Zone reflects significant investment by GE and Bayer for silicone applications, a key part of a sustained development strategy to increase its resources and enhance its strong distributor network across the region.
The GE Bayer Silicones division of GE Advanced Materials Business is also raising its technical profile by becoming more active in exhibitions, seminars and conferences to serve its customers in the building and construction sectors, highlighting specific silicone applications and engineered solutions.
Last year, GE Bayer Silicones promoted its innovative technologies at the Big 5 show, and in 2006, the silicones division is planning to participate in several expos and conferences to increase the business-to-business knowledge base through the region.
Craig Smith, who is business development manager for GE Bayer Silicones, Leverkusen, Germany, is witnessing significant growth for the company’s high-technology products and applications. He travels the regions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) extensively, thus acknowledging the strategic importance of the region to the division’s ambitions.
“The new laboratory in Jebel Ali represents a growing investment by GE Bayer Silicones in the region, creating a high-technology fully-resourced facility to support the increasingly sophisticated range of applications required for structural weathering and silicone solutions by our increasing client base.
“With a technical team that will eventually increase to five, the laboratory provides a fully-certified facility able to meet the technology requirements for the construction industry and the manufacturers that supply specialist structural glazing, weather seals and adhesives systems to contractors,” says Smith.
Indeed, research and development, and innovative solutions have long been implicit in the industrial vision of General Electric Company, one of the world’s leading technology groups which, according to Smith, had gross revenues of $4 billion in 2005 across MENA.
General Electric is totally committed to delivering more resources to the region and by the first quarter of 2007, a GE Technology and Learning Centre will be inaugurated at the Qatar Science and Technology Park. This facility is specifically designed to identify opportunities in high-technology areas such as aviation, oil and gas and water Treatment, where GE`s advanced technologies and services can support the regional market.
GE Advanced Materials is an acknowledged global leader providing high-technology materials solutions in quartz, plastics and silicones applications with GE Bayer Silicones a sub-division.
Smith believes that the silicone-based applications market has grown by more than 40 per cent since 2004 and building a critical mass for GE silicones business in the region is absolutely essential. With its proven track record and existing client base in the region, it was logical to expand and enhance the technical presence and distributor network of GE Bayer Silicones.
“With the increasing numbers of projects being developed across the regions, there is greater demand for high-technology material solutions in the silicones sector using advanced materials.
“These material solutions include engineered thermoplastics and silicon-based products that enhance material performance. This includes silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, resins and elastomers,” says Smith.
“As well as commissioning the GE laboratory, we are also committed to the development of new applications in the Middle East backed by our technology capabilities. The concept behind the new facility is not only to expand the GE Bayer Silicones technical capability for the region but importantly to develop the silicones business through the competitive advantages we can provide on a local basis to the manufacturing, fabrication and end-user supply chain of either standard and customised silicon-based products.
“This GE Bayer Silicones response to the specific requirements of the construction sector and into the manufacturing and fabrication of curtain walling, structural glazing, weatherproofing and roofing systems represents our value proposition. Our investment in Jebel Ali is in parallel to our approach across the region including our traditional areas such as Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Jebel Ali laboratory will facilitate faster and most cost-effective product development capabilities into this market backed by the global resources of GE Bayer Silicones advanced chemistry.
“This combination of customer-driven service and product development utilising GE’s family of engineer silicones materials is perfect for the Middle East,” says Smith.
“Over the next five to 10 years, we anticipate sustained growth rates from MENA with significant developments in construction, the oil and gas sector, and the industrial sector and are seeking to achieve in silicon-based technologies, a complementary business platform to the overall GE strategy for the region,” he adds.
“With our laboratory facilities, we can certainly cover the certification and approvals for insulating glass and be involved in the design of structural glazing elements customised for the regional market. In addition, we are looking to develop innovative products such as the additives required to enhance water-repellent components such as weather seals and the adhesives,” adds Smith.

GE Bayer Silicones
The Advanced Materials business of General Electric Company is part of the Industrial business group and is headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut. This global leader provides high-technology material solutions has a product portfolio that includes silicone-based products and technology platforms, silanes, fused quartz, ceramics, sealants and adhesives. GE’s Advanced Materials business is represented all over Europe, Middle East, Africa and India through joint ventures with GE Bayer Silicones in Leverkusen and through GE Toshiba Silicones in Tokyo, Japan, for the Pacific region.
GE Bayer Silicones, which provides customers with tailor-made silicones products and services, was founded in 1998 on the strength of two leading industry brands and is continuously growing in its high-performing specialised segments. Representatives, offices and customer-focused technical support is available in every sales region to provide highest service to customer needs.
Further information about the company can be obtained from its website: www.ge.com/advancedmaterials.