Distribution agreement effective in key markets throughout Europe and Australia
STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), the global water technology company that this week spun off from ITT Corporation, and GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that they have entered into an agreement for Xylem to become GE's distribution partner into the public utilities market for its advanced membrane filtration products. Under the terms of the non-exclusive agreement, Xylem will distribute GE's range of ZeeWeed* technologies in Portugal, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The companies are expected to expand the relationship further in Europe and in countries in Asia and Latin America at a future date.
The collaboration will leverage Xylem's global sales network, which helps customers in more than 150 countries address critical water issues. For public utilities, the addition of GE's ZeeWeed membranes expands the water and wastewater treatment product portfolio available from Xylem, which currently includes products for water and wastewater transport, biological treatment, media filtration and disinfection. Xylem manufactures and sells water solutions products to the water and wastewater treatment market through its market-leading product brands including Flygt, Leopold, Sanitaire and Wedeco.
"The agreement with GE underscores our commitment to providing customers with a complete range of products and services for water treatment," said Mike Kuchenbrod, president of Xylem's Water Solutions business, based in Stockholm, Sweden. "We're confident that the combination of GE's well-recognized ZeeWeed brand membrane technology with Xylem's world-class sales organization will deliver a tremendous benefit to our public utilities customers and project partners."
Xylem invests heavily to maintain one of the industry's most extensive sales and service organizations to ensure it meets customers' needs locally. With this partnership, Xylem adds GE's ZeeWeed microfiltration, ultrafiltration and membrane bioreactor (MBR) products to its portfolio for customers in designated markets and geographies. Xylem's Water Solutions business is a global provider of water handling and treatment solutions for public utilities and industrial customers. The business employs a global sales network and manufacturing sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas, and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
"GE's more than 20 years of experience with ultrafiltration membrane technology, combined with its research, development and operational knowledge, make the advanced family of ZeeWeed products a natural choice for demanding water reuse and wastewater treatment applications. The distribution agreement with Xylem will strengthen and increase our reach across the globe," said Jeff Connelly, vice president, engineered systems-water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.
ZeeWeed advanced ultrafiltration membranes are pressure-driven barriers to suspend solids, bacteria, viruses, endotoxins and other pathogens from water or wastewater, producing water with very high purity and low-silt density. They can treat surface water, ground water and biologically treated municipal effluent. Nearly 1,000 plants worldwide use this technology to produce superior quality drinking water and to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment and water reuse standards.
Today's announcement reinforces GE's commitment to improve water reuse, a key commitment of ecomagination, a business strategy to create new value for customers, investors and society by solving energy, efficiency and water challenges. GE's ZeeWeed technology has achieved the distinction of ecomagination-qualification.
With operations in 130 countries and employing nearly 8,000 worldwide, GE's water and process technologies business is an integrated part of GE Power & Water. The company brings together experienced professionals and advanced technologies to solve the world's most complex challenges related to water availability and quality, increased productivity and cost reduction and environmental regulations. GE is a leading global supplier of water treatment, wastewater treatment, water reuse and process systems solutions, along with water treatment chemicals and process chemicals.
About Xylem
Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world's most challenging water and wastewater problems. Launched in 2011 from the spinoff of the water-related businesses of ITT Corporation, Xylem is headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., with 2010 annual revenues of $3.2 billion and 12,000 employees worldwide.
The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of our water-centric business by linking it with the best water transportation of all -- that which occurs in nature. For more information, please visit us at http://www.xyleminc.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world's toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
GE also serves the energy sector by providing technology and service solutions that are based on a commitment to quality and innovation. The company continues to invest in new technology solutions and grow through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its local presence and better serve customers around the world. The businesses that comprise GE Energy-GE Power & Water, GE Energy Management and GE Oil & Gas-work together with more than 100,000 global employees and 2010 revenues of $38 billion, to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; as well as other alternative fuels and new grid modernization technologies to meet 21st century energy needs.
* Trademark of General Electric Company; may be registered in one or more countries.
Contacts
Louise Cassidy for Xylem
+353.1.678.9333
louise.cassidy@edelman.com