According to Croda reps, nearly £18 million in capital investment will more than double the capacity at the site and provide additional flexibility to manufacture new chemistries.
The inauguration ceremony was officiated by Dr. Nick Challoner, president of the Asia Pacific division and Cindy Koh, director of the Energy & Chemicals Group of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and was attended by Croda’s customers, the scientific & academic community, suppliers and other key business partners.
“This latest expansion is another step in the execution of Croda’s strategy to develop and supply innovative solutions in Asia for our customers,” Dr. Challoner explains.
By anchoring its manufacturing, R&D and HQ functions there, the company reckons it can leverage Singapore’s position as a strategic node in connecting with key customers in the region to deliver innovative and customised solutions.
In turn, Singaporeans are predicted to benefit from the diverse and exciting job opportunities.
“Manufacturing remains an important economic driver for Singapore, and we are delighted that companies like Croda have identified it as an important manufacturing base and continue to invest and expand here,” adds Ms. Koh.
Ongoing investments across Asia...
Croda has had a long presence in Singapore, having opened its first sales office in the country in 1985.
In 1990, the Singapore branch started manufacturing esters and in 1999 moved to Jurong Island to start up its first integrated alkoxylation plant in Asia.
In April 2014, Croda announced it was opening a Collaboration & Training Centre (CTC), located on mainland Singapore, which includes state-of-the-art product validation and claim substantiation laboratories, a hair and skin salon and a training center to support customer needs within the region.
“Our investments in Singapore are an important part of our larger strategy to continues to create innovation for Asia. Croda is also making significant investments in our capabilities in China, Japan, Indonesia and India to respond faster to customer needs,” commented Mr. Julian Yeo, Managing Director - Operations at Croda.