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10 Nov 2004
Speech by Mr Teo Ming Kian, Chairman, Singapore Economic Development Board, at the inauguration of Autron Global Solutions Centre on 10 November 2004
Professor C.C. Hang, Non-Executive Chairman, Autron Group
Mr C.L. Tan, Executive Chairman, Autron Group
Mr Allen Ong, Managing Director, AGS
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning.
- I am pleased to be here today, to officiate at the inauguration of Autron's Global Solutions Centre in this new building.
Autron expanding to be the first local SMT remanufacturer
- Let me commend Autron on its progress from an equipment distributor to a remanufacturer. It is a good example of the entrepreneurial and adaptable spirit that we would like to nurture in Singapore.
- Its new activities will help the company provide complete solutions to its customers, including the refurbishment of surface mount technology, or SMT, equipment with its partner Fuji, as well as training and process solutions. This will create more than 100 skilled jobs in Singapore.
- The refurbished SMT equipment market is worth about 30 per cent of the US$2.5 billion SMT market in Asia, Europe and North America. This presents significant opportunities for companies like Autron.
EDB building an equipment industry ecosystem in Singapore
- Equipment building and refurbishment is an area that EDB wants to promote. Both are high value added activities requiring skilled manpower. We intend to build up a cluster of manufacturers to support equipment building, and ensure adequate manpower resources by working with the tertiary institutions to train workers.
- One key segment to be developed is the printed circuit board, or PCB, assembly equipment. Three of the top PCB assembly equipment manufacturers already have activities in Singapore.
- Siemens Logistics and Assembly Systems, formerly called Siemens Dematic, and Matsushita Technology have substantive presence here. And, now Fuji Machine is tying up with Autron.
- PCB assembly equipment is widely used in electronics manufacturing service companies like Flextronics and Solectron, as well as mobile handset makers such as Motorola. With its refurbishment activities, Autron will add further to the dynamism and strength of this cluster.
Equipment distributors moving up the value chain
- The move by equipment distributors in Singapore to provide additional services such as refurbishment, maintenance services and technical support, is an encouraging development. These activities are high value-added and highly skilled. They not only offer opportunities to our people to upgrade, they also provide companies the competitive advantage with their rivals.
Singapore is a hub to serve electronics manufacturing and technical service activities in Asia
- Autron's move into this new area is a timely response to a new trend, in which more manufacturing activities are being relocated to Asia. As a result, there will be increasing demand for such services.
- Singapore is well-positioned to be a hub for companies to provide value-added services such as equipment refurbishment, sub-module or complete equipment assembly, maintenance services and technical support. We have a good supply of skilled workers with good precision craftmanship, excellent connectivity, strong intellectual property rights regime, as well as our integrated industry ecosystem including the strong base of equipment manufacturers.
- Autron clearly has seen the opportunities and is intent on exploiting them, as manifested by the opening of this new centre. Let me wish them every success in this endeavour. I look forward to their success in the coming years. Thank you.
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