GE Upgrades Indonesian Service Facility

GE said it has completed the upgrade of its PT GE Nusantara Turbine Services (PTGENTS) in Bandung, Indonesia, turning the facility into a global B- and E- Repair Center of Excellence (CoE).

GE said it is applying lean operating principles to the repair center as part of its commitment to develop the next-generation repair capabilities for B- and E-class gas turbines globally.

Established in 1994 as a joint venture between GE and PT. Dirgantara Indonesia, the PTGENTS facility is located in Bandung, Indonesia. While the facility has been providing regional B- and E- repairs since 2012, it has contributed to global B- and E- repairs since 2018, primarily for stationary parts. The expansion has now diversified PTGENTS’ capabilities to include rotating parts, which will make it a comprehensive hub for both the local as well as the global B- and E-fleet repairs.  GE has added equipment to support the capabilities increase, such as computer numerical control (CNC) and shot peen machines, as well as capacity increases for equipment such as vacuum furnaces.

“As part of our commitment to investing in our gas turbine fleet and local capabilities, GE transformed the PT GE Nusantara Turbine Services facility into GE’s largest repair Center of Excellence for B- and E- class gas turbine components in the world,” said Ramesh Singaram, president and CEO of Gas Power, Asia. “GE’s global footprint of repair shops is strategically located for agile responsiveness, tapping into regional compliance and regulatory expertise. By adopting GE’s lean principles to improve our processes to eliminate waste, reduce cycle time, and enhance responsiveness, this facility will help ensure that our customers’ gas turbines can fulfill their full lifetime potential—anywhere in the world.”

The facility shipped its first set of repaired B- and E- turbine blades to a global customer this month.

In 2019, PTGENTS started to implement lean principles in the operations, through the creation of a standardized sequence of processes and an improved operator-friendly approach to the new and existing machines.  This resulted in shorter repair cycles enabling improved on-time delivery and enabled the shop to improve its productivity by approximately 30%, GE said.

“This transformation led to an addition of approximately 50 technical and professional positions to support work influx. The availability of skilled talent, solid infrastructure, and strong government support made Indonesia the ideal location for a globally focused COE expansion” said Ramesh Singaram. “In addition, PTGENTS facility operates with world class safety and compliance with excellent delivery results and GE leveraged on this proven track record on safety, quality, and delivery of the center to increase competitiveness in the global B- and E- class fleet repairs.  In 2021, the site will almost double its output while expanding its capability tremendously over two years.”

GE has been in Indonesia since 1940 and is a major player in power generation in the country. GE’s 9HA technology, the world’s most efficient gas turbine, will power the Jawa-1 and Tambak Lorok combined cycle power plants, as part of the Indonesian government’s 35-Gigawatt electrification initiative.