Komatsu, GE Mining Partner to Develop Next Generation Mining Equipment

Komatsu and GE Mining, a division of GE Transportation, announced a new collaboration to develop next generation mining equipment. By combining their expertise in mining equipment and propulsion systems, the companies will help meet the needs of customers and partners worldwide, with an initial focus on developing solutions to increase customer productivity and safety for underground mines.

The new company, Komatsu GE Mining Systems, LLC, will be located at the GE Transportation facility in Erie, PA and operations will begin in April 2014. Komatsu and GE will each own 50% of the new company.

Komatsu and GE Transportation have been partners for Komatsu electric dump trucks for use in open-pit mines, for which GE has supplied electric drive systems. By further building on the existing partnership, the new company will combine GE's electric power expertise, electric drive systems, and battery technologies with Komatsu's vehicle and ICT technologies for mining equipment to deliver innovative solutions to global mining customers.

Mr. Immelt, Chairman and CEO, GE (left) and Mr. Ohashi, President and CEO, Komatsu (right)

Komatsu Ltd. (TSE: 6301) is a leading international manufacturer of construction and mining equipment as well as industrial machinery. In the construction and mining equipment business, it operates 42 plants in 13 countries. Komatsu is also the industry's pacesetter in ICT applications, such as KOMTRAX (Komatsu Machine Tracking System) equipped in over 330,000 construction equipment working around the world, Autonomous Haulage System with unmanned mining trucks deployed in Chile and Australia, and GNSS-guided intelligent Machine Control dozers. For more information, visit the company's website at www.komatsu.com.

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

GE Mining, a division of GE Transportation, can help carry your business through every step of the mining process, offering mining products, services and solutions in surface and underground mining. From the delivery of reliable power in remote regions, to water supply and management, to maximizing the output of your equipment-our solutions are catered specifically to your business's challenges in the most productive, most efficient, and even more importantly, the safest way possible. GE Mining offers global customers AC & DC electric drive systems for heavy- and medium-haul off highway vehicles, tethered electrical and battery vehicles and support equipment for intrinsically safe underground applications and a suite of additional equipment, services and solutions to solve your business's needs. For more information, visit www.getransportation.com.

Information in the news releases is current on the date of the announcement and is subject to change without notice.

Source: http://www.komatsu.com/