At the Singapore Airshow 2020, aerospace companies committed SGD 500 million (USD 360 million) of new investments in Singapore over the next five years. JTC, the government agency responsible for the development and management of industrial estates in Singapore, TC signed a series of agreements with companies including GE Aviation, Overhaul Services – Singapore; SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC); Singapore Aero Engine Services (SAESL); Ametek MRO; GE Aviation, Engine Services – Singapore; Pattonair; and RLC Group (Singapore).
To meet industry demand, JTC also launched aeroSpace Three, a new cluster of 9 ready-built standard factories to provide “plug & play” solutions for aerospace manufacturing and MRO activities. These new standard factories will incorporate the industry’s requirements for higher technical specifications to cater for Industry 4.0 technologies and the use of heavier and larger equipment. JTC will alos start land preparation works in Seletar Aerospace Park this year to create more capacity for future aerospace investments.
Some of the ongoing and upcoming investments are described below:
- GE Aviation, Overhaul Services – Singapore, a joint venture between GE Aviation and SIAEC, has confirmed its interest to take up a newly-levelled site at JTC’s Loyang estate to set up a state-of-the-art engine overhaul facility.
- Following SIA Engineering Company Limited’s (SIAEC) announcement on 13 December 2019 on its agreement with Safran Aircraft Engines to provide engine maintenance services, SIAEC has identified JTC’s Changi North estate as a potential site for its facility for CFM LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines.
- Singapore Aero Engine Services (SAESL), a joint venture between SIAEC and Rolls-Royce, is exploring an expansion in JTC’s aerospace enclave in Loyang estate. It already has the world’s largest Rolls-Royce Trent Aero Engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
- Proponent, a leading independent aerospace distribution company will be opening its 20,000 square foot (1,858 square meter) regional distribution facility later this year.
- PPG, a global leader in paints, coatings and specialty materials is moving towards the completion of its new USD 15 million 38,750 square-foot Application Support Centre (ASC) at Seletar Aerospace Park. Scheduled for completion in mid-2020, the ASC will accommodate increased demand for aerospace sealants, coatings, transparencies, chemical management services and the packaging of third-party products.
- Ametek MRO has commenced additional capability investments and is discussing future facility requirements with JTC.
- Recently merged Pattonair and Wesco Aircraft, both of which provided aerospace supply chain management services, is also looking to secure new premises at Seletar Aerospace Park. They plan to shift operations in January 2021 from their existing operations to a 40,000 square feet facility at the new JTC aeroSpace Three in Seletar Aerospace Park.
- Bombardier is in the process of quadrupling the footprint of its Singapore Service Centre, making Seletar Aerospace Park home to its largest OEM-owned business maintenance facility in the region. Expected to open in the second half of 2020, the expanded Singapore Service Centre will offer heavy structural and composite repair capabilities and will more than double the size of its integrated parts depot to close to 10,000 square foot, adding more than SGD 15 million in additional parts inventory. It will also offer a full-service cabin interiors center with full woodworking services, a controlled-environment paint booth, world-class refinishing services and full upholstery services. This also includes full Learjet, Challenger and Global interior refurbishment.
(Sources: JTC Corporation; Business Times; Channel NewsAsia)
