Global companies can partner local enterprises to tailor solutions for business and consumer needs that are unique to Asian markets. Companies can also leverage the specialised capabilities and services of local enterprises to shorten time to market.

In 2018, OMRON, a Japanese manufacturer specialising in industrial automation, sought local partners to boost industry adoption of its 3D Vision System in new application areas. OMRON selected Clemvision, a local automation solutions firm, as its strategic partner to co-develop new customised solutions to expand its range of clients.

Today, through its partnership, OMRON’s 3D Vision System has been adopted to support Singapore’s 30x30 food resilience ambition, as a high-tech farming solution for autonomous picking and packing and automated cultivation of vegetables from seed to harvest.

Learn more about OMRON & Clemvision's partnership.

By building a network of trusted local suppliers, global companies can hedge against supply chain disruptions and fluctuations in global logistics. This increases operational resilience and competitiveness.

Illumina, a US-based global leader in genomics sequencing, sought to boost supply chain resilience by localising its consumable packaging supplies to support its hub in Singapore across manufacturing, R&D and commercial operations.

After visiting various local printing and packaging companies, Illumina’s team chose KPP Packaging Pte Ltd (KPP) as their preferred partner. Having a local supplier eliminated the need to ship bulky packaging materials. Aside from reducing freight shipments and its carbon footprint, this partnership enabled Illumina to cut down purchase lead time from four weeks to one.

Learn more about Illumina & KPP's partnership.

Partnerships allow companies to leverage mutual resources and expertise to develop new capabilities and innovate for greater international demand capture.

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Volvo and Singapore's SC Auto Industries (SC Auto), a designer and manufacturer of buses and trucks have been collaborating on various projects for over a decade, including the production of buses on a Volvo chassis. Their shared expertise has led to their latest achievement: the first made-in-Singapore electric bus model.

The Volvo BZL-SC Neustar City electric bus costs S$6 million to develop and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 60 per cent as compared to a diesel bus plying a similar route.

SC Auto is now the sole manufacturer of the Volvo BZL-SC Neustar City electric bus for Singapore and the Asian region.

Learn more about Volvo & SC Auto's partnership.

Singapore’s MedTech industry punches above its weight as a manufacturing powerhouse – producing more than S$19 billion in high-value products annually. These span life sciences tools and diagnostics, implantables, contact lenses and other medical devices.

Over 16,000 employees work in MedTech and it is one of two key industry pillars - alongside Biopharmaceuticals - in Singapore's thriving Biomedical Sciences sector.

Alongside a growing base of global MedTech manufacturers, Singapore has also developed and attracted a vibrant local ecosystem of Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs), logistics providers and other suppliers here. This allows global companies to tap on local capabilities for partnerships to diversify their supply chain for improved resilience, and innovate to address fast-growing healthcare needs across Asia Pacific and beyond.

Watch this space for further updates on other industries and supplier ecosystem!