SPEECH BY MR MANOHAR KHIATANI, JTC’S CEO
AT THE EUROCOPTER FACILITY GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
AT SELETAR AERO+SPACE
ON FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2009 AT 10.35AM
Mr Philippe Harache, Senior Executive Vice President of Eurocopter,
Dr Bernhard Brenner, President of Eurocopter, South East Asia,
Mr Tay Kok Khiang, Chairman of Eurocopter, South East Asia and President of ST Aerospace,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It gives me great pleasure to join you today for the groundbreaking ceremony of Eurocopter South East Asia’s facility at the Seletar Aero+sPace, or SAP in short.
Eurocopter's Strong Commitment to Singapore
1 Today’s event marks another significant milestone in the development of SAP. Eurocopter is recognized as a world leader in military and commercial helicopter manufacturing with over 2,800 customers in 140 countries. We are delighted to have such a reputed global leader join the growing aerospace family in SAP.
2 Singapore and Eurocopter have enjoyed a long relationship that spans many years. Over the last three decades, we have witnessed Eurocopter’s growth and success in Singapore. Today’s event, in a way, marks a homecoming of sorts for Eurocopter in Singapore, as it had first started operations in Seletar before shifting to Loyang. We are glad to have them back here, where it all began, with a modern and much bigger operation.
3 Eurocopter’s expansion at SAP also reaffirms the company’s confidence in Singapore as an ideal location for its operations. Eurocopter will be carrying out a wide range of activities in Seletar. Besides maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities, there will be a Health and Usage Monitoring Support Centre, training activities and EADS Innovation Works Singapore.
Singapore's Aerospace Industry
4 The aerospace industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Singapore. Since 1990, the industry has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 12%. Singapore has achieved a strong leadership position in MRO, accounting for a quarter of the Asia Pacific market. This success is due to the strong vote of confidence by companies such as Eurocopter, which has not only anchored its MRO activities in Singapore but also designated Singapore as its regional headquarters and continue to introduce new activities here.
5 The outlook for the aerospace industry in Singapore remains positive despite the downturn and challenges. Last year, Singapore’s aerospace industry turned in a record output of more than S$7 billion, and the industry remains resilient amidst challenging economic conditions.
Update on Developments at SAP
6 The development of SAP is integral in supporting the growing aerospace industry. With its projected completion in 2018, SAP will host a cluster of aerospace activities comprising of not just MRO activities, but also aviation services and manufacturing. The recent announcement by Rolls-Royce to establish its S$700mil engine assembly and fan-blade manufacturing facilities at SAP, which marks a first in Asia, is a clear indication of the strong interest in SAP. This clustering of world-class aerospace activities will make SAP unique. It will create vibrancy, foster integration and partnerships and enable companies to reap the benefits of economies of scale through shared infrastructure and related activities being located in close proximity.
7 The development work for SAP has progressed unabated over the past year. JTC is targeting to launch two new developments in SAP, the Business Aviation Complex and the General Aviation Centre. The Business Aviation Complex will provide office space and warehousing facilities for SAP tenants, while the General Aviation Centre will provide hangar space for companies in the general aviation business. Furthermore, the new road that we are constructing in SAP, the West Camp Road, will be completed and ready for use by 1st quarter of next year. This new road is a necessary infrastructure in the transformation of this prewar airbase into a modern world class integrated aerospace cluster in a unique setting.
Conclusion
8 Singapore is committed to the growth of the aerospace industry and we view this project as extremely strategic. The development of SAP is one critical indicator of this commitment. We are delighted with the interest we have received and the progress that we have made at SAP, thanks to the support of our close partners such as Eurocopter and ST Aerospace.
9 In closing, I would like to congratulate Eurocopter on this new facility. This facility marks the start of another new chapter in Eurocopter’s presence in Singapore and is the result of your vision and hardwork. We wish you continued success and look forward to continuing our long and fruitful partnership together.
10 Thank you.
------ END ------