General Electric to Focus on Indonesia
Wednesday, 14 February, 2007 | 14:46 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Bangkok: General Electric is targeting a rise in income of between 20 and 25 percent this year.

Stuart Dean, General Electric’s President for Southeast Asia, said that this will be realized through investment in several projects.

“Indonesia will be the prima donna of our investments,” Dean told Tempo and the Jakarta Post during a “General Day” event in Bangkok, yesterday (13/2).

The projects which are the company’s goals are electricity generating plants, locomotive and water processing facilities.

“But the investment total can’t be mentioned yet because it depends on the implementation of each project,” he said.

Dean went on to say that the revenue of the company, which has been investing in Indonesia since 1930, so far was between US$400 million and US$500 million.

This was from the sales of manufactured products including electrical devices (light bulbs), as well as finance, locomotive and turbine activities.

Hasto Kristiyono, General Electric Indonesia’s Director of Market Development, said for the locomotive manufacturing project, General Electric will cooperate with PT Inka.

“We’re waiting for the government’s next development,” he said.

The government has said it needs 200 new locomotives with a price of around US$2 million each.

According to Hasta, it is planned that the cooperation will be directed to supplying the locomotive market in Southeast Asia.

“So that Inka can also develop more,” he said.

Dean is optimistic that the locomotive procurement project, which is worth a lot, will end up in General Electric’s hands.

This is because, General Electric’s cooperation with Indonesian companies so far is considered to be good.

BUDIRIZA