PETERBOROUGH, ON, June 14, 2016 /CNW/ - GE's Marine Solutions business in Peterborough, Ontario is completing one of the first milestones of the company's 7-year contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc.,(ISI) to provide electrical power, propulsion systems, installation and commissioning services for six ice-capable Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy.
GE's power and propulsion systems will position the new vessels amongst the highest performance in their class worldwide. Four diesel generators and engines have been shipped to ISI's Halifax Shipyard, and GE has begun acceptance testing on the first AOPS propulsion motor, expected to ship in early July. GE suppliers located in Ontario are contributing to the project providing steel, skids, metal and machining.
The contract is part of the Government of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). To date, ISI has awarded over $526 million in contracts to companies in Ontario, generating over 3,500 direct and indirect jobs in the province. Across Canada, ISI has awarded over $1 billion in contracts as part of NSS.
During the past 5 years, GE, with assistance from the Province of Ontario, has modernized the Peterborough facility in order to increase the company's opportunities to win new business contracts from a wide range of industries. This has included investments in innovation, and advanced manufacturing technology, along with site and building improvements. The ISI shipbuilding contract is one of the first significant business wins for GE resulting from these modernization efforts.
Quotes:
"GE's collaboration with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) on this important large infrastructure project utilizing best-in-class technology, created an opportunity for developing a made-in-Canada solution and also delivered new business opportunities to our supply chain," said Allan, GE Canada's President and CEO.
Elyse Allan, President and CEO, GE Canada
"At Irving Shipbuilding, we believe that the innovative solutions Ontario companies, like GE, have to offer are vital to the growth and sustainment of Canada's shipbuilding industry. As Canada's chosen shipbuilder for Navy Combatants, we're proud to engage companies across the country in building our Navy's future fleet."
Kevin McCoy, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc
"GE has had a long standing commitment to the City and County of Peterborough and its residents. I am pleased that our government has partnered with GE in the past to protect jobs, create new ones and modernize the Peterborough facility. The modernization of the Peterborough Plant has positioned GE to be successful when bidding on new contracts. There is great potential for growth at the Peterborough plant and today's announcement is proof that our investments are working."
The Honourable Jeff Leal, MPP
"GE Canada is a pillar of manufacturing, as well as an historic and significant employer in Peterborough-Kawartha. I am extremely proud that our community will benefit from Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy for the next six years and that well paid, quality jobs are being generated and maintained as a result. We are also proud that Peterborough-Kawartha is playing a role in supporting the women and men of our Royal Canadian Navy."
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, MP Peterborough-Kawartha
"The Arctic is an exciting and challenging new frontier for commercial shipping. The Royal Canadian Navy operates under some of the world's most extreme weather and sea conditions making reliability a key factor. We are delighted that ISI has selected GE's technology to deliver ice capable vessels that will play a significant role in the development of new global opportunities in the Arctic."
Tim Schweikert, President & CEO, GE's Marine Solutions
About GE's Marine Solutions
GE's Marine Solutions is dedicated to power and propulsion systems for customers in the workboat, merchant, offshore and naval industries. Smart engineering coupled with software analytics, we provide customers with data-driven efficiency. Connecting the physical and digital worlds, GE helps power, propel, position and predict the marine industry for operational excellence. www.gemarinesolutions.com
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
About Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) is part of the J.D. Irving, Limited Group of companies which includes operations in Agriculture, Construction & Equipment, Consumer Products, Energy, Food, Forestry & Forestry Products, Retail & Distribution and Shipbuilding & Industrial Fabrication. ISI's primary site is Halifax Shipyard, with four other locations in the Maritime Provinces. ISI was selected in 2011 as Canada's Combatant Shipbuilder under the merit-based National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy and is in the early stages of a 30-year military shipbuilding program
SOURCE General Electric Canada Inc.
Image with caption: "Left to right: Hon Jeff Leal, MPP Peterborough, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rurual Affairs, Jerry Dias, President, Unifor, Hon Maryam Monsef, MP Peterborough-Kawartha, Minister of Democratic Institutions, Kevin McCoy, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc., Elyse Allan, President and CEO, GE Canada, Jim Irving, Co-CEO, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (CNW Group/General Electric Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160614_C5070_PHOTO_EN_713351.jpg
Rahim Ladha, Director Communications/Public Affairs, GE Canada, (647) 281-7073, [email protected], www.gereports.ca; Mary Keith, Vice President, Communications, J.D. Irving Limited, Work: (506) 632-5122, Cell: (506) 650-8209, [email protected], www.shipsforcanada.ca, Twitter: @IrvingShipbuild
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