INDONESIAN President Soharto joined ceremonies at Jakarta to mark completion of the first General Electric diesel locos to be built in Java. Three U20Cs assembled at Madiun (above) by joint venture company PT GE Lokindo were delivered on December 17.
The joint venture between GE and Badan Pengelola Industri Strategis is intended to supply locomotives to the southeast Asian market under the Asean Free Trade Agreement. GE has invested over US$300m in the Madiun plant, and signed a technology transfer and staff training package with BPIS. The initial units are destined for Indonesia and the Philippines. o
