New Industry Members Join A*STARs Aerospace R&D Programme Despite Economic Downturn

Membership grows to 16 since launch of Programme

Singapore, 20 February 2009: Despite the current dismal global economic environment, aerospace-related multi-national companies and local enterprises are investing in R&D by collaborating with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. Recently, eight more companies took the bold step to join the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) Aerospace Programme, now in its second cycle, affirming their strong confidence in R&D in A*STAR and Singapore.

Membership has increased to 16 since the launch of the SERC Aerospace Programme in 2007, and the new members of the Programme are: BASF, Coherix, MAG Industrial Automation Systems, GT Industrial, IPG Photonics, Resem Technologies, Sunny Instruments Singapore and Tru-Marine.

The members of the consortium firmly believe that technological advances through R&D hold the key to redefining air travel and creating the aerospace industry of the future. The members also believe that the current economic climate is not a reason to curtail
research spending since it presents an opportunity for companies to reconnoiter and plan for their future with investment in R&D. More poignantly, the industry understands that capability building is essential to hone the agility to respond to technological challenges that will remain after resolution of the current crisis.

The SERC Aerospace Programme offers an integrated R&D network members can effectively and strategically leverage on for the best resources and brain power to achieve their business objectives. With the breadth of industry experience and depth of technical expertise available in the consortium, members are also able to access R&D results to get first-mover advantage and seize new business opportunities. The alliance will also provide an economically viable option for members to address technological challenges and will help companies emerge stronger and faster from the economic downturn.

Commented Professor Chong Tow Chong, Executive Director of Science and Engineering Research Council, A*STAR: “The increased membership despite the economic downturn confirms the relevance of the A*STAR SERC Aerospace Programme to the industry. The companies realize the benefits of technology consortium which enable a group of like-minded members to participate in the development of innovative emerging technologies and overcome existing technological challenges for industry application cost effectively.”
Six new projects mark the commencement of the second cycle of the SERC Aerospace Programme. The technologies or outcomes developed can be applied to the entire aircraft, spanning from the body, wing, belly to the tail. These projects will work on the development of advanced materials for aircraft bodies, improvements for MRO and manufacturing processes as well as intelligent sensors for structural health monitoring and diagnostics (see FactSheet in Annex 2).

Bringing the total to 16 members are the eight members who joined the consortium earlier: The Boeing Company, EADS, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, SIA Engineering Company, Sonatest Ltd, Rofin-Bassel Singapore and IDI Laser Services.
These members have started on the four first cycle projects of the SERC Aerospace Programme a year ago and are positive about their experience thus far. Encompassing research areas in Laser Processing, Advanced Robotics as well as Non Destructive Testing Techniques and Inspection, progress is underway and the technologies developed may be applied on the aircraft after suitable customization. (See FactSheet in Annex 2).

Singapore's aerospace industry has been growing strongly since it started in the 1970s. It has consistently achieved high compounded annual growth rate over the last 20 years, with a turnover of S$6.89 billion in 2007, employing over 19,000 workers. The SERC Aerospace Programme is positioned to help companies in the value chain seed and grow R&D activities to build technical capabilities for the future and consequently contribute to growth statistics.