Speech By Minister S Iswaran at the Opening Ceremony Of Pratt & Whitney Manufacturing Singapore

SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY (INDUSTRY), AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF PRATT & WHITNEY MANUFACTURING SINGAPORE, MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2016, 2:15PM

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Mr Robert (Bob) Leduc, President, Pratt & Whitney

Mr David Hess
Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Aerospace, United Technologies Corporation

Mr Danny Di Perna, Senior Vice President, Operations, Pratt & Whitney

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1.            Good afternoon.  I am pleased to join you today at the opening ceremony of Pratt & Whitney’s new hybrid fan blade and turbine disk manufacturing facility.

2.            This event is a significant milestone for Pratt & Whitney, and for Singapore.  For Pratt & Whitney, this state-of-the-art facility will be one of only two sites globally to manufacture hybrid fan blades and high pressure turbine disks for the company’s new Purepower® engines.  It is also Pratt & Whitney’s first manufacturing investment in Singapore.  For Singapore, it is an important vote of confidence from an industry leader in Singapore’s strengths as a location for complex aerospace manufacturing.

3.            I would like to congratulate Bob and his team on the successful opening of this facility, and thank them for their continued confidence in Singapore.

This investment is a significant milestone in Singapore’s partnership with Pratt & Whitney

4.            Pratt & Whitney and Singapore enjoy a long and close partnership.  Pratt & Whitney’s operations in Singapore commenced in 1983, with the establishment of a repair and overhaul facility for small engines at Seletar airport.  Over the years, Pratt & Whitney has continued to expand its footprint in Singapore to support its growing regional customer base.  Recently, in 2014, it established an advanced aero-engine component repair facility, located just next door.

5.            Today, Singapore is home to Pratt & Whitney’s most comprehensive aftermarket presence in a single location, with over 2,000 people undertaking a range of activities spanning engine overhaul, component repairs, fleet management, and technical services.

Strengthening Singapore’s base of advanced manufacturing activities and capabilities

6.            The opening of this facility further augments our strong partnership with Pratt & Whitney.  This facility will manufacture components for Pratt & Whitney’s latest and most advanced engine product, the Purepower® engine.  I understand that this engine offers enhanced fuel savings with lower emissions and noise compared to other jet engines.  This superior performance is made possible through the innovative use of a gearbox to connect the engine fan to the compressor and turbine.

7.             With Purepower® slated to feature on a host of new aircraft platforms, Singapore is well-positioned to contribute to the roll-out and growth of these new-generation aircrafts worldwide.  Furthermore, the product life-cycle for aero-engines typically spans 20 years, which will ensure that this facility remains relevant over the long term.

8.            This facility will help to strengthen Singapore’s capabilities in advanced aero-component manufacturing.  For example, Pratt & Whitney will be introducing highly-automated manufacturing processes such as adaptive machining and automated inspection systems, along with advanced and proprietary materials processing techniques.

9.            This facility will also create over 120 good jobs for Singaporeans across a spectrum of functions, including skilled manufacturing craftsmen, manufacturing engineers as well as managerial and support roles.

10.         The work carried out here typifies the type of advanced manufacturing investment that we want to grow as key pillars of the Singapore economy, to ensure that we can continue to stay relevant and seize opportunities arising from disruptive technologies and new business models.

Singapore will continue to position itself to capture opportunities from disruptive technologies and new business models

11.         We are already seeing the impact of disruptive technologies and new business models on the aerospace industry.  For example, components produced by additive manufacturing are increasingly being used in aero-engines on a commercial scale.

12.         New business models are also emerging.  Aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are moving beyond manufacturing to provide total support packages (TSPs), where the sale of aircraft or aircraft systems is bundled with a full range of support services such as engine maintenance and field support services.  Aerospace OEMs are also using data analytics to carry out predictive equipment maintenance as a value-added offering to customers.   

13.         As aerospace companies further leverage big data and analytics, there will be opportunities for new services and business models, built around predictive maintenance, asset management and operational performance.

14.         To prepare and be ready for these developments, we will continue to partner the industry to build up new capabilities and functions to ensure that Singapore remains the leading hub for aftermarket services in Asia Pacific.  We will also invest our R&D resources in areas such as data analytics and structuring monitoring technologies for predictive maintenance.

15.         These are just some examples of a new arena of opportunities that Singapore can pursue.  The recently established Committee on the Future Economy commenced work early this year, spearheading a national effort to identify new and emerging sectors and recommend strategies to position Singapore well for these opportunities.  The Committee will consult widely and seek ideas and proposals from business leaders and stakeholders.  In that context, we welcome your views as industry leaders on how Singapore can better position its aerospace sector for the future.   

Conclusion

16.         In closing, I would like to thank Bob and his team for the strong partnership and their continued confidence in Singapore.  I wish you every success.​