GE and Fanuc announced this week that they would dissolve their 22-year technology joint venture, GE Fanuc Automation Corporation, by the end of this year.

In a statement, GE-Fanuc said, "This agreement would allow each company to refocus its investments to grow its existing businesses and pursue its respective core industry expertise."

After the seperation, GE will retain the software, services, embedded systems, and control systems businesses globally, under the name GE Intelligent Platforms. Fanuc will retain the global CNC business.

Diversified US industrial group GE and robotics technology and automation leader, Fanuc Ltd of Japan joined hands in 1986 to form GE-Fanuc Automation to emerge among the largest suppliers of hardware and software, services, automation, embedded computing systems and industry-leading CNC products.

GE Fanuc Automation Corporation grew to become a leading high-performance technology company that serves a vast array of industries around the world including the energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government and defence, and telecommunications industries.

In 2007, GE-Fanuc added GE's embedded systems division entered operations management software, diversifying their focus from products and components to turnkey solutions for process and discrete manufacturers, under the GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms brand.

While Fanuc employees with the disolved venture will revert to their parent, GE employees will continue to be GE Intelligent Platforms, wholly owned by GE, and led by Maryrose Sylvester, who was appointed CEO of GE Fanuc in 2006.

"Our joint venture has achieved great success toward its original mission, which was to cooperate on the global growth and technical development of the PLC and CNC business," said Fanuc honorary chairman Dr. Seiuemon Inaba said in the statement.

Inaba added, "Over this time period, markets and opportunities also have changed dramatically, and both companies further expanded into adjacent segments. Today's market conditions are such that it's imperative we pursue these expanded opportunities, and while we have achieved great things together, it's in both our best interests that we focus our efforts on industry opportunities unique to our respective companies and that will deliver greater benefits to both our companies."

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms CEO Maryrose Sylvester said, "GE could not have asked for better partners than Dr Inaba and FANUC. GE is proud of what our companies have achieved together - both the industry expertise and success across our product portfolios. For GE, this change will mean a continued, intense focus on serving our customers around the world while continuing to invest in significant growth platforms like process control systems, enterprise and automation software and embedded computing as we continue to build further expertise around the GE vertical infrastructure segments."

Sylvester added, "Our top priority is a smooth completion of transition and continuity for all customers, business partners and employees. We are committed to delivering our customer commitments in every segment of our business."