US multinational GE, which is in the process of refashioning itself as a digital industrial company, officially opened its R500-million innovation centre in Johannesburg on Monday evening – the group’s tenth such centre globally and its first in Africa.

The 2 700 m² ‘GE Africa Innovation Centre’ is an accredited green building, located alongside the Killarney Country Club golf course, near Rosebank, in northern Johannesburg.

The building is also the new headquarters for GE Healthcare, which has established a ‘Healthcare Experience Centre’ on site, which showcases the American group’s various healthcare technologies across hospital care areas, from the emergency room and theatre to cardiology, oncology and infant care .

GE Africa president and CEO Jay Ireland said the investment had been made in spite of an African economic narrative that had “turned negative” in light of the slump in commodities. It symbolised, he added, GE’s long-term commitment to both the continent and to finding innovative solutions to Africa’s infrastructure and healthcare problems.

Speaking to an audience that included representatives of the South African and Gauteng governments, as well as several African ambassadors, Ireland described the centre as a “collaborative work space” that aimed to unearth innovative solutions for “Africa by Africans”.

“We are looking to impact and enhance the career aspirations of over 100 engineers from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. These are young people who will come through the centre and share their innovative solutions, whilst learning from some of the best GE minds in their respective fields.”

Besides showcasing the group’s various offerings, the building houses a learning and development centre, which will expose participants to the various GE curriculums on offer, from its leadership courses to its various “universities” that focus on energy, transport and healthcare.

Space has also been allocated for collaborative projects and solution prototyping, with State-owned freight logistics group Transnet having already signed up to partner with GE on various rail localisation projects.

The centre is aspiring to support the development of small businesses capable of supplying the local market and potentially GE’s global supply chains. It will serve as “base camp” for the Londvolota Enterprise Development Trust, launched in 2015, to help accelerate supplier development in South Africa.

GE South Africa president and CEO Thomas Konditi stressed that while South Africa was hosting the centre, the aim was to serve the entire region, where GE currently employed more than 2 600 people.

“The ultimate goal of the centre is excellence and collaboration for GE, its customers and stakeholders across Africa.”