Speech by Minister S Iswaran at the Opening Ceremony of AbbVie's Biologics Manufacturing Facility

​SPEECH BY MR S. ISWARAN, MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (INDUSTRY), AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF ABBVIE’S BIOLOGICS MANUFACTURING FACILITY ON 4 OCTOBER 2017, 10.45AM, AT 23 TUAS SOUTH AVENUE 6

Mr Rick Gonzalez, Chairman of the Board and CEO, AbbVie 

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning. 

INTRODUCTION

1. I am delighted to join you today for the opening of AbbVie’s biologics manufacturing facility.  

2.            This biologics manufacturing facility, alongside the small molecule manufacturing facility, which commenced commercial production earlier this year, represents a combined investment of S$400 million by AbbVie. Together, these combined facilities have created more than 200 jobs across roles such as supply chain management, technical operations and manufacturing in Singapore.  AbbVie has also established its commercial headquarters in Singapore to drive its growth for the Asia Pacific region.  

SHIFTS IN HEALTHCARE PARADIGMS AND ADVANCES IN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES

3. This new biologics manufacturing facility comes at a timely moment. Ageing populations, growing healthcare demand and technological changes are changing healthcare paradigms. For instance, Deloitte’s 2017 Global Health Care Outlook report projects that the world’s major regions will see compound annual growth rates in healthcare spending ranging from 2.4% to 7.5% between 2015 and 2020.  The rise in healthcare expenditure will be driven by the emerging and lower income markets, as well as the expansion of services in developed countries. Technology will allow healthcare providers to engage patients more effectively, and enable the center of healthcare delivery models to shift from the hospital to the community. These are the trends that we are seeing in Singapore and are also areas of high priority in the Asia Pacific region.

4. At the same time, technologies such as additive manufacturing and industrial internet-of-things, are also changing the nature of manufacturing. Firms who successfully leverage advanced manufacturing technologies can achieve significant productivity gains and differentiate themselves from the competition. 

5. While these shifts will disrupt existing business models, they also present significant new opportunities. Hence, it is essential that we adopt a forward-looking approach, and work closely with our people and industry partners to seize the opportunities that lie ahead. This spirit of partnership and forward-looking stance is emphasised in the report by the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) which was released earlier this year, and it is a reflection of Singapore's own ethos in the way we engage the world from an economic perspective.

SINGAPORE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE INDUSTRY ON INNOVATION AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMPETITIVENESS 

6. Singapore will continue to invest in innovation, and work closely with the industry to strengthen our competitiveness. Under our Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2020 plan, we will be investing S$4 billion in Health and Biomedical Sciences (HBMS) and another S$3.2 billion in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME).  A strategic goal of RIE 2020 is to strengthen linkages between public research performers and private enterprises to create greater value from our public R&D investments.

7. More recently, A*STAR and the National University of Singapore (NUS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer and MSD to launch the Pharma Innovation Programme Singapore (PIPS). This programme, which combines the research capabilities of our public sector with the expertise of the industry, will focus on areas such as continuous manufacturing, bio-catalysis, process analytical technology and advanced process control.  Initiatives like PIPS will help to ensure that our pharmaceutical manufacturing base is well-positioned to meet the changing demands of the industry.  

SINGAPORE REMAINS COMMITTED TO PARTNER THE INDUSTRY IN TRAINING AND UPSKILLING OUR PEOPLE

8. Singapore also remains committed to ensuring that our people are equipped with the relevant skills to benefit from emerging opportunities.  To this end, we will continue to partner the industry to train and upskill our people.  

9. The Professional Conversion Programme (PCP), under the Adapt and Grow initiative, is one such programme where professionals have the opportunity to be trained for opportunities in a different/adjacent sector. The PCPs for the Pharmaceuticals and Biologics sectors, jointly developed by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will equip our local workforce with the requisite capabilities for these sectors.  Since the launch of the PCPs for the Pharmaceuticals and Biologics sectors in 2014, over 350 individuals have benefited from them. 

10. 37-year-old Mr. Ong Shin Ran is one of the PCP participants undergoing training as a bio-technologist with AbbVie.  He previously worked as a manager in the Marine and Offshore industry for six years.  The PCP’s comprehensive curriculum and structured on-the-job training will equip Shin Ran with the skillsets needed for product and process improvements for the pharmaceutical industry. We encourage more industry players to partner our government agencies on such training efforts.  

CONCLUSION

11. In closing, we remain confident in Singapore's competitive positioning in the pharmaceutical and broader manufacturing sector. We are investing in the ecosystem, the environment and our people, and will work with the industry to enhance our innovation and research and development. I am confident that by working closely with our industry partners, Singapore will be well-positioned to seize the opportunities that lie ahead of us. AbbVie is an important industry partner and we appreciate your investments and confidence in Singapore. I congratulate the AbbVie team on the opening of this biologics manufacturing facility and we look forward to a long and close partnership between AbbVie and Singapore.  Thank you.