SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY, MR LIM HNG
KIANG, AT THE JOINT OPENING OF PRATT & WHITNEY’S GLOBAL
SERVICES ENGINEERING-ASIA (GSE-ASIA) AND INTERNATIONAL AEROSPACE
TUBES-ASIA (IAT-ASIA) ON TUESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2006, 3.00
PM
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good
afternoon,
It is my
pleasure to be with you today to celebrate the joint opening of
Pratt & Whitney’s Global Services Engineering-Asia (GSE-Asia)
and International Aerospace Tubes-Asia
(IAT-Asia)
Pratt &
Whitney has a Strong Relationship with Singapore
Pratt &
Whitney is no stranger to Singapore, having been
here for the last 25 years. It has grown its operations here over
the years and is currently one of the largest investors in our
aerospace industry
The opening of
this new centre represents a further deepening of this strong
partnership between Pratt & Whitney and Singapore.
Singapore is a Global
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
Hub
The fact that
companies such as Pratt & Whitney continue investing here is a
clear indication of Singapore’s
attractiveness as a location for global aerospace leaders.
Today, Singapore
is the largest and most comprehensive Maintenance,
Repair and Overhaul, or MRO, hub in Asia, with a full
range of capabilities ranging from the repair of airframes,
engines, avionics systems to a wide range of aerospace
components.
We account for
about a quarter of the MRO output in Asia. By leveraging
on our highly-skilled and productive workforce, strong fundamentals
in engineering, as well as our overall efficiency of operations
which ensures quick turn-around, Singapore has earned a reputation
as a ‘one-stop hub’ for aerospace MRO.
The opening of
IAT-Asia marks the region’s first Centre of Excellence for the
repair of tubes, ducts and manifolds. This project will hence
deepen Singapore’s MRO
capabilities and create high value jobs for
many.
Moving up the value Chain by
Developing New Repair Processes
To enhance the competitiveness
and attractiveness of our aerospace industry, Singapore is determined to move up the
value chain into more design and
development activities. One area is in the development of
new repair processes.
Airlines around the world are facing increasing cost pressures that
make it more economical for them to repair, rather than replace,
parts. Some of these parts have no pre-defined repair schemes, so
repair stations will need to develop new processes to handle them.
IfSingapore can play a role
in designing new repair processes, it will give us a strong competitive
advantage.
This is
exactly what the new GSE-Asia will do – develop new repair
processes for aircraft engine parts. The development of such
processes is a highly specialised and engineering intensive
activity. As such, it is not surprising that GSE-Asia is Pratt
& Whitney’s first such centre outside the US. This is hence a very
significant project that will raise the capabilities of our
aerospace MRO industry to a new level.
Pratt & Whitney
will be spending more than $50 million over the next few years to
develop these capabilities in Singapore.
Befitting its name, GSE-Asia will not only be supporting its
Singapore
operations, but also
Pratt & Whitney’s other facilities in the region.
This
significant investment, not just in dollars, but in expertise and
talent as well, is a clear sign of Pratt & Whitney’s commitment
to its customers in Asia. I thank Pratt & Whitney for
your strong confidence in Singapore and I assure you of our
commitment to grow the aerospace industry in Singapore.
We will take all the necessary measures to ensure that we remain an
attractive and vibrant aviation hub. This includes the hosting of a
world class Airshow. From 2008 onwards, the Singapore Airshow will
be held here at its new, dedicated facility. We are confident that
the Singapore Airshow will be a success and will add to the
vibrancy of the aerospace industry
here.
Conclusion
I would like to congratulate the management
and staff of Pratt & Whitney on the official opening of
GSE-Asia and IAT-Asia. I wish you success in your future
endeavors.