Filed by General Electric Company
                        Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933.

                                               Subject Company: Osmonics, Inc.
                                               Commission File No.: 333-102111

ON FEBRUARY 25, 2003, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY AND OSMONICS, INC. ISSUED THE
FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE

                      [General Electric Company Letterhead]

                   GE ANNOUNCES HYPOTHETICAL EXCHANGE RATIO
                            FOR MERGER WITH OSMONICS


      FAIRFIELD, Ct. and MINNETONKA, Mn. - February 25, 2003- General Electric
Company (NYSE: GE) and Osmonics, Inc. (NYSE: OSM) announced today a hypothetical
exchange ratio for the proposed merger of Osmonics into a wholly owned
subsidiary of GE assuming that the merger closes on Thursday, February 27, 2003,
the day immediately following the Osmonics shareholders' meeting. If the merger
closes on that day the formula provided for in the merger agreement would result
in each share of Osmonics common stock being converted into 0.7443 shares of GE
common stock, plus cash for any fractional shares. If the merger closes on a
different day, the exchange ratio may be higher or lower. Osmonics shareholders
may elect to receive $17.00 in cash per share instead of GE shares, subject to
proration so that the total cash paid does not exceed 55 percent of the total
merger consideration.

      Osmonics shareholders are scheduled to vote on the merger at the
shareholders' meeting on February 26, 2003. GE and Osmonics expect the
transaction to close promptly following the special meeting, provided Osmonics
shareholders approve the merger and all other conditions to the merger are
satisfied.




                                   -----------


      THIS PRESS RELEASE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITIES FOR
SALE. The proposed transaction will be submitted to Osmonics' shareholders for
their consideration. On January 24, 2003, GE filed with the SEC a registration
statement on Form S-4 containing a definitive proxy statement/prospectus and
other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS OF
OSMONICS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR
SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You
may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other
filings containing information about GE and Osmonics, at the SEC's Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov).

      Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and the SEC filings that are
incorporated by reference in the proxy statement/prospectus can also be
obtained, without charge, by directing a request to GE Power Systems, Attention
Dennis Murphy, 4200 Wildwood Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, 30339, 770/859-6948, or
to Osmonics, Investor Relations, 5951 Clearwater Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota,
55343-8995, or 952/933-2277.

      GE, Osmonics and their respective directors and executive officers may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders
of Osmonics in connection with the merger. Information about the directors and
executive officers of GE is set forth in the proxy statement on Schedule 14A for
GE's 2002 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on March 8,
2002. Information about the directors and executive officers of Osmonics and
their ownership of Osmonics common stock is set forth in the proxy statement on
Schedule 14A for Osmonics' 2002 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with
the SEC on April 8, 2002.

        Additional information regarding participants in the proxy solicitation
may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed
transaction.

Contact:

General Electric Company
Melissa Rocker, 518/233-3873

or

Osmonics, Inc.
Investor Relations, 952/933-2277

or

Innisfree M&A Incorporated
(Proxy Solicitor for Osmonics), (888) 750-5834 (toll-free)