Pratt & Whitney, EDB to establish technology accelerator in Singapore

AMERICAN aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (P&W) is collaborating with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to establish a technology accelerator in Seletar Aerospace Park.

In a press statement on Tuesday (Sep 20), P&W said the facility will help to accelerate the development and deployment of about S$31 million worth of technology insertion projects across the group's 4 Singapore-based MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facilities over the next 5 years.

The projects will focus on automation, advanced inspection, connected factory and digital twin, enhancing connectivity and intelligence across the company's MRO operations.

The upcoming facility is slated to be ready for occupation in Q4 2022. It will add 16 new positions which the company plans to fill with local, full-time employees.

Technologies developed in Singapore will be applied across the company's global MRO footprint.

Additionally, the company said it is in discussions with A*Star (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) on technology innovation.

"The push for digitalisation is underway across our facilities in Singapore, and the technology accelerator will increase the speed and scalability of these technology projects," said Gilbert Sim, P&W's director for aftermarket global operations technology and CORE (continuous improvement).

In its press statement, the company noted strong utilisation of its geared turbofan (GTF) engine, which it believes to be leading the single-aisle segment recovery as the global economy emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also observed significant demand in its commercial engine MRO businesses, as utilisation picks up and customers resume engine maintenance.

"P&W's investment is testament to Singapore's position as a leading aerospace hub and strong ecosystem for innovation. We will continue to partner with the aerospace industry to enable the recovery in air travel and its long-term growth," said EDB's senior vice president of conglomerates, Lim Tse Yong.