3M opens new headquarters in Singapore

Singapore

GLOBAL science company 3M officially opened its new Singapore headquarters in Ang Mo Kio on Wednesday.

The facility houses a S$1.3 million Customer Technical Centre (CTC) showcasing the American multinational's technologies, including virtual-reality technology that simulates work-at-height training scenarios, as well as sign sheeting and pavement markings that improve traffic safety and mobility.

Spanning 10,000 sq m - double the size of its facility in Yishun - the new headquarters houses more than 500 employees across its three floors.

3M declined to say how much this building cost, but the company has invested more than S$1 billion in Singapore since 1966 and has more than 1,600 employees on its payroll here.

3M also has two manufacturing plants in Woodlands and Tuas, and a research and development centre in Woodlands.

The company expects to grow its Singapore staff numbers for manufacturing by five to 10 per cent over the next six to 12 months.

Yuko Nakahira, the managing director of 3M Singapore, said: "As we expand our presence in Singapore, 3M is looking into ways to foster more collaborations with local and regional partners, and develop Asia-centric solutions that address our customers' sustainability challenges.

"This complements our growth in the region while supporting the government's push for a more liveable city."

The CTC in the Ang Mo Kio facility showcases the company's 46 technology platforms across 25 stations.

Among the solutions on display are locally-developed ones such as the 3M Rinse-Clean Coating RC-1000, an advanced coating solution for exterior surfaces that reduces dust and dirt.

At the station that showcases virtual reality (VR) technology to simulate realistic work-at-height training scenarios, visitors can don a VR headset simulating the experience of working on a skyscraper and then work through a set of tasks, such as wearing a safety harness, clipping on tools and walking out on a narrow platform without barriers.

Separately on Wednesday, 3M launched a solar rooftop farm at its Tuas manufacturing plant.

Described as one of the largest rooftop solar installations in Singapore, it can generate an average of 2,400 MWh of electricity yearly - about equivalent to the amount of electricity used by 506 units of four-room HDB flats.

The solar farm also supports 3M's sustainability goal for 2025: to increase renewable energy to 25 per cent of electricity used.