Award Winners Are Applauded for their Outstanding Environmental, Conservation and Societal Contributions
For Immediate Release:
TREVOSE, PA (May 10, 2005) --- GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), launched the inaugural ecomagination Leadership Awards yesterday honoring select GE customers, whose measures saved millions of gallons of water, reduced effluent and emissions -- while conserving energy and reducing overall operating costs. With growing envi-ronmental concerns, such as water scarcity, the award winners are being commended for striking a positive balance between industrial and environmental challenges.
The ecomagination Leadership Award recipients saved millions of gallons of water, reduced efflu-ent, energy and emissions, and saved thousands of dollars in operating costs by taking advantage of technologies that meet both industrial and environmental challenges head-on," said George Oliver, President & CEO, GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies. "By 2025, nearly half of the world's populations will live in water stressed areas. Applauding the award winners for their foresight and heartfelt efforts in meeting today's serious environmental challenges is not only right -- it is a progressive step towards moving our world forward.
The results from GE's water purification solutions have been dramatic," according to Michael Church of Navistar International Truck and Engine Corporation and one of 12 ecomagination Lead-ership Award winners. "In the first year of operation, we reduced our water usage dramatically."
At the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, award winners were joined by GE's George Oliver; Ben Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency; and John Turner, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and Inter-national Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Twelve award winners were selected out of thousands of GE's customers. The winners' steadfast determination in strategically addressing en-vironmental, health and safety concerns, and their simultaneous efforts to reduce energy use and operating costs qualified them for the award.
"I salute GE for their efforts to bring the education and solutions to the water scarcity issue -- it an encourag-ing sign and a step in the right direction," said Ben Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"Access to safe water and access to energy to meet basic needs are critical foreign policy issues that directly impact the lives of people everywhere and they are fundamental requirements for fighting poverty and promoting peace and democracy," said John Turner, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and Inter-national Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
The award recipients recognized for their outstanding dedication to the environment include: Agrium Redwater; Auburn University; Canbra Food Ltd.; Cinergy; Dupont Dow Elastomers L.L.C.; Ford Motor Company; The International Group; INCO Limited - Port Colborne Refinery; International Truck & Engine; Karl Schmidt Unisia, Inc.; Shamrock Environmental; and U.S. Steel.
The award ceremony followed GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt's ecomagination announcement -- outlining GE's initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers address pressing environmental challenges.
At the ecomagination announcement, GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies showcased two pro-ducts, which enable water recycling and purification to be tailored to customers' needs, helping them achieve regulatory compliance and minimize environmental impact. GE's ecomagination products include
Advanced membrane technologies and separation solutions for diverse industries -- from bever-ages to manufacturing to pharmaceuticals -- are helping companies maintain environmental com-pliance.
* GE's desalination technology removes saline from brackish or sea water and creates fresh water for drinking, irrigation and industrial use.
For more information about the ecomagination Leadership Awards, products and benefits, please visit www.ge.com/ecomagination.
About GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies Water & Process Technologies, a unit of GE Infrastructure, is a leading global supplier of water, wastewater and process systems solutions. Water & Process Technologies delivers customer value by improving performance and product quality and by reducing operating costs and extending equipment life in a broad range of products and services. These products and services are used to optimize total water/process system performance, safeguard customer assets from corrosion, foul-ing and scaling, and protect the environment through water and energy conservation. For more in-formation on Water & Process Technologies, visit gewater.com.
Ellen Mellody, Global Media Relations Manager (215) 942-3307
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