There is no further factual news on the sale of GE Fire & Security since Bloomberg News announcement last month that GE Security had hired J P Morgan Chase to find a buyer. So the speculation continues and the list of potential suitors grows. But unfortunately GE, like all major corporates, is obliged to continue the line of “no comment”. Clearly it is not the best time for selling such a major business which has cost some $2 billion to assemble. So this begs the question why would you want to sell, at this time. I suspect that the answer to this is, to buy something at this time, which makes a better fit with your business strategy and at the same time meets GE’s enshrined ruling; if you can’t make No1 or 2 in the business then divest. Interestingly in August GE and Fanuc announced that they will dissolve their partnership by the end […]

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Clearly it is not the best time for selling such a major business which has cost some $2 billion to assemble. So this begs the question why would you want to sell, at this time. I suspect that the answer to this is, to buy something at this time, which makes a better fit with your business strategy and at the same time meets GE’s enshrined ruling; if you can’t make No1 or 2 in the business then divest.

Interestingly in August GE and Fanuc announced that they will dissolve their partnership by the end of this year reflecting the reality that factory and process automation and CNC / robotics technologies and markets do no have the required synergy to continue the partnership. Under the terms of the breakup, GE retains the software, services, embedded and control systems businesses worldwide and the new operation becomes "GE Intelligent Platforms". GE must now be looking for an acquisition to retain a dominant position. The most likely candidates are Invensys and Rockwell, both struggling at this time.

But what if you could find a solution that solved both problems at the same time. Eureka; swap the Fire & Security business for Honeywell’s Process Automation division and save millions of dollars on bankers fees. After all GE came close to acquiring Honeywell almost a decade ago.

This solution would be quick and would end the speculation that is damaging for GE Fire & Security and all its partners in the value add chain.