Your Excellency, Mrs. Heather Grant, High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore
Mr. Michel Ouellette, President, Bombardier Customer Services
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening.
Introduction
It gives me great pleasure to join you today in extending our heartiest congratulations to Mr. Michel Ouellette, and the Bombardier team on the opening of the Bombardier Singapore Service Centre (BSC). I am delighted that Bombardier Aerospace, a leading manufacturer of business and regional aircraft, has chosen Singapore as the venue for its first company owned and operated aircraft service centre in Asia-Pacific.
Strong growth prospects for Business Aviation in Asia-Pacific
Bombardier’s investment in Singapore is timely, given the strong growth prospects for Business Aviation in the Asia-Pacific. Over the next two decades, close to 24,000 business jets worth more than US$600 billion are expected to be delivered globally.1The Asia-Pacific region alone will account for a fifth of this demand.
To seize these growth opportunities, business aviation companies need to establish their presence in this region to support their growing base of customers here.
Singapore well positioned to support Business Aviation activities in the region
As a leading air transport, business and financial hub located in the heart of the Asia-Pacific, Singapore is well positioned to support business aviation companies who are seeking to anchor their operations in this region.
We welcome aerospace multinationals to Singapore. We have also been investing in the infrastructure needed to support the industry. In fact, where we are today - Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP) - is a prime example.
Over the years, we have made major improvements to the infrastructure to transform a once sleepy airport and airbase into a location of choice for aerospace companies. Amongst these are new aircraft parking apron facilities, an extended runway, additional taxiways, new road signages and sheltered walkways. Just last week, we saw the launch of two facilities – JTC Aviation Two and the expansion of JTC aerospace.2 These will provide investors with flatted and standard factory solutions for quick start-up.
And we will continue to make further investments to enhance the SAP. This includes the infrastructure works for Phase 3 of the SAP, which have already begun. When completed, this will provide another 60 hectares of land for the industry. We will also upgrade the Seletar Airport in the coming year, with an instrument landing system to allow it to manage all-weather and night flight operations.
Our investments in developing the SAP have begun to bear fruit. Since the launch of its development in 2007, many leading business aviation and aerospace multinationals have chosen to site their investments in the SAP. In the past two years since the last Airshow, the SAP has welcomed new investments from leading players such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Hawker Pacific, Fokker Services and Jet Aviation. The investments by these companies are an indication of the industry’s confidence in Singapore. Today, we are delighted to welcome another industry leader – Bombardier – to this growing community.
Bombardier’s growing presence in Singapore
The Bombardier Service Centre adds to the company’s sizeable presence in Singapore, which includes sales and customer support offices, a parts depot, and a representative office for its transportation business. As the company’s most comprehensive aftermarket support centre in the Asia-Pacific, the Service Centre will enhance Bombardier’s service offering by allowing customers in this region to enjoy seamless access to its full suite of MRO capabilities. With this, Bombardier Aerospace will be able to continue to deliver its commitment to ‘strengthen customer satisfaction through flawless execution on every order and service provision’.
Aerospace industry provides rewarding careers for Singaporeans
The aerospace industry is important to Singapore, not just because of the value it can add to our economy, but also because of the rewarding careers which it can offer our people. The aerospace industry employs some 20,000 workers, of which 9 out of 10 jobs are skilled, with 80 per cent going to locals.
I am confident that Bombardier, one of the Top 50 most attractive employers in the world, will similarly offer attractive career pathways for our people. In fact, four-fifths of the workforce hired by Bombardier for the Service Centre thus far are locals. More importantly, I am happy to learn that Bombardier has already begun to invest in their training and development, with over half sent to Canada and America for training stints. I am sure the workers at the Service Centre deeply value these training opportunities which will better equip them to deliver the best for Bombardier’s customers.
Conclusion
Bombardier’s commitment to establish its first wholly-owned Service Centre in Asia-Pacific at the SAP underscores its trust and confidence in Singapore, and its conviction that Singapore is the ideal location to support its growing businesses in this region. As Bombardier continues to build its presence in Singapore, I urge you to continue to harness Singapore’s strengths in our connectivity, research and development, as well as skilled workforce to support your growth in the Asia-Pacific.
On our part, we look forward to our continued journey with Bombardier in building a vibrant business aviation hub in Singapore. Congratulations once again to Michel and his team on this exciting milestone. Here’s to many more achievements and milestones together with you in the years ahead. Thank you.
1 Source: Bombardier Business Aircraft, “Market Forecast 2013-2032”, June 2013
2 JTC Aviation Two is a new high-rise multi-tenanted development providing industrial, office and ancillary/amenities space for aerospace and aviation companies, especially SMEs, to undertake maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), parts supply management and other aviation services in support of business aviation market in the region. JTC aeroSpace (Phase 2) development comprises 7 units of landed factories located on a 2.1 ha site. These landed factories are targeted at aerospace companies undertaking components, engines and avionics manufacturing and MRO activities. Both developments were launched at Seletar Aerospace Park on 7 February 2014.