How "Domain Expertise" Gave General Electric a Competitive Advantage in Aviation

Nearly 30 years ago, GE developed a super material for power generation that is now helping it win in aviation.

General Electric's (NYSE:GE) co-developed LEAP jet engine with Safran has made history as the fastest-selling product in aviation history. To date, CFM International, General Electric's 50-50 joint venture with Safran, has received orders for 9,550 LEAP engines worth $134 billion at list prices.

The LEAP engine is 15% more fuel efficient than the engine it replaces, thanks in part to General Electric's "domain expertise" in developing cutting-edge materials, 3D printing, turbomachinery, and unparalleled understanding of harsh environments. General Electric acquires domain expertise from operating its seven industrial segments, which often share common threads, and has shown it can take a solution for one business and readily transfer it to another.

Ultimately, the ability to cross-utilize domain expertise helps GE gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The following presentation examines how General Electric's used its domain expertise in materials development for gas turbines to help it gain a competitive advantage in aviation.