GE to Keep Lighting as Electrolux Buys Appliance Business

Coverage of GE's deal to sell its Appliance division to Electrolux for $3.3 billion - a move that helps GE by advancing its plans to concentrate on industrial markets and helps Electrolux compete with rival Whirlpool in the consumer appliances business - has made scant mention of GE Lighting, which is hierarchically part of the Appliance business, hence the name GE Appliances & Lighting.

We checked with Christopher Augustine, manager – Global Communications & Public Affairs for GE Lighting, and confirmed that GE Lighting is not part of the deal with Electrolux.

The impact of the sale on GE, though it's too early to know whether the appliance-consuming public will realize or care that General Electric will no longer be behind the GE appliance brand for which Electrolux gained the rights, will support GE's strategy to achieve "75% of earnings from its Industrial business by 2016, and" ... "highlight GE’s focus on core infrastructure businesses supported by a valuable specialty finance business," according to a GE release.

“This transaction is consistent with our strategy to be the world’s best infrastructure and technology company,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt in that release. “We are creating a new type of industrial company, one with a balanced, competitively positioned portfolio of infrastructure businesses with strong advantages in technology, growth markets, driving customer outcomes, and a culture of simplification.”