GE Water will pump in $130m
in a collaboration with NUS
GLOBAL giant General Electric's water treatment arm is pumping a record $130 million into a local R&D plant, the biggest investment by a multinational into water research here to date.
The facility, collaboration with the National University of Singapore to develop better and cheaper water treatment processes, will also be GE Water and Process Technologies' global research headquarters.
Yesterday, GE Water's president and chief executive Jeff Garwood signed a memorandum of understanding with NUS to set up its facility within the university, and provide the $130million in funding over 10 years.
Working at the centre will be 100 scientists specializing in areas ranging from biochemistry to civil engineering. Some of research that will be done there includes developing better membranes, filtration, purification and disinfection processes.
Said Mr.Garwood: "Our decision to invest here is due to the strong commitment by the government to grow the water industry.
A ready supply of skilled manpower and a strong intellectual property protection climate had clinched the deal, he added.
GE has singled out NUS as a partner because of its long-standing reputation in many fields, especially those related to water treatment chemistry and processes.
The matchmaker in this case was the Economic Development Board, which linked the two organizations together, and successfully brokered the relationship in just four months.
Said EDB chairman Teo Ming Kian: "The partnership is an example of GE tapping on the R&D capabilities, faculty researchers and students of the university to advance the work of the centre."
NUS president Shih Choon Fong said the centre, which will be at the university's engineering faculty, represents its largest collaboration with a multinational organization.
GE Water, with business deals totaling $3.2 billion all over the world, is one of the six core businesses of the United States-based GE.
The company's relationship with Singapore dates back to 1969 when it opened a number of electronics manufacturing plants. These were followed by an aircraft engine maintenance and repair facility, as well as a plastics plant.
GE is involve in key infrastructure projects in the energy, transportation and health sectors, and employs 2,300 staff here. It is also involved GE money lending through GE Money, in collaboration with SingPost.
Mr Garwood said the aim is for people at the research centre here to work together with staff at its five other facilities worldwide to come up with solutions that can address water shortages faced the world.
Singapore is going all out to beef up water research here. The National Research Foundation, which comes under the purview of the Prime Minister's Office, has allocated $330 million over the next five years to boost water-related research.
The Republic is also taking its expertise to the rest of the world, and has clinched deals in places such as Saudi Arabia where local companies have been hired to reduce water losses from the distribution chain
China has also been singled out for offering business opportunities to local water companies -- Singaporean company Hyflux is already building desalination and sewerage treatment plants.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who returned from a week-long visit to China last Friday, highlighted water treatment and reuse, sewerage treatment and environmental protection as key areas to develop/
He was there to scout out business opportunities with Singaporean-based water and environmental management companies such as CPG Environmental Engineering, Glowtec Environmental, Keppel Seghers, Kytoland Tech, Salcon, Sembcorp and United Engineers. A few MOUs were signed with Chinese authorities during the trip, which he described as fruitful.
By Meng Yew Choong
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Corporate Communications
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