Within two decades, the world will see a doubling of air passengers – IATA expects 7.8 billion to travel in 2036. An increasing number will come from Asia Pacific, spurring a rapid growth in aircraft deliveries. By then, the region is expected to account for 37 per cent of the global fleet, and will undoubtedly be the world's largest aviation market. As the leading aerospace hub in the region, Singapore is poised to capture these growth opportunities.

In recent years, we facilitated a number of significant investments by companies in aerospace manufacturing and MRO. These included expansions and new facilities from Eagle Services Asia, Thales, Sabena technics and local players like JEP Precision. In R&D and innovation, we received investments from Rolls-Royce and SAESL in a Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab with A*STAR, and SIAEC has started an Innovation and Technology Group to explore areas like additive manufacturing and data analytics.

Against this backdrop, we are confident that 2018 will be another positive year for Singapore's aerospace industry. With our strong pool of skilled talent, a robust intellectual property protection regime and proximity to key customers, Singapore is a trusted partner for aerospace companies looking to capitalise on Asia’s growth.

The aviation industry continues to be a hotbed for investments and business opportunities in the coming years, especially with number of travellers expected to almost double from 4 billion in 2017 to 7.8 billion in 2036. With Asia-Pacific anticipated to contribute more than 50% of this growth, Singapore is in good stead to benefit from being a key aerospace hub for the region.

As the government agency driving Singapore’s external economy, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore partners our Singapore companies in their internationalisation plans. We offer assistance programmes under the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) and Global Company Partnership (GCP) framework which Singapore companies can tap on to go global. We also work with industry associations like the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) (AAIS) to promote the Singapore aerospace industry, through participation in tradeshows and facilitation of Business-to-Business meetings. With our global network in over 35 locations, IE Singapore can link overseas players to like-minded Singapore partners to grow your business.

With the upcoming merger between IE Singapore and Spring Singapore to form Enterprise Singapore, we look forward to working even more closely with AAIS to uncover more aerospace opportunities for Singapore companies, and to facilitate stronger business collaboration between our partners from international aerospace companies and our Singapore companies.

Our heartiest congratulations to the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) (AAIS) on your 15th anniversary and the launch of your new digital directory! Over the years, the AAIS has grown from strength to strength and has been our valuable partner in fostering the growth of the aerospace community and facilitating business networks.

2018 is also a special year for JTC as we commemorate our 50th anniversary as Singapore’s lead agency in the planning, development and promotion of dynamic industrial spaces. It is coincidentally our 10th year of development for the Seletar Aerospace Park, and we celebrate this milestone with companies that have made Seletar their home, partners like AAIS, as well as fellow agencies, who have worked closely with us in developing a compelling environment for a vibrant aerospace community.

Seletar Aerospace Park is now recognised as Asia’s leading aerospace hub – home to over 60 multinational companies and local enterprises, a vibrant community of 6,000 professionals, as well as a myriad of aerospace business activities. JTC further endeavours to create an inspiring environment for aerospace professionals and the community through spaces like The Oval, a cluster of restored Black and White bungalows that is both our epicentre for activities within the estate and a vital part of Seletar’s rich heritage charm.

We trust that our continued efforts will benefit our customers and our larger Singapore community, and we look forward to continued close collaborations with AAIS and the industry in the year ahead.

The Asia-Pacific aerospace industry has been growing at a tremendous pace with the region benefitting from an unprecedented increase in global outsourcing activities. This presents good growth opportunities for Singapore enterprises providing supporting services to the aerospace industry.

As Singapore’s enterprise development agency, SPRING Singapore has been working closely with public and private sector partners to upgrade the business capabilities of these SMEs for competitiveness and expansion. Local SMEs are developing niche capabilities in engineering and manufacturing services, creating new and innovative products and processes, and forming strategic partnerships to offer a more complete value-chain of services to enter new markets.

The upcoming merger of IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore to form Enterprise Singapore will allow the Government to better support and grow our companies in today’s dynamic economic environment. Enterprise Singapore will leverage existing expertise and networks of both agencies to provide more holistic support to our companies as they build up their capabilities and expand into overseas markets.

We look forward to continuing our close partnership with AAIS to help the local aerospace industry soar to greater heights.

It is an exciting time for the aviation and aerospace industries in Asia-Pacific. The region is set to account for a third of worldwide aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years. MRO growth will consequently experience growth in demand reaching some US$20 billion by 2030, according to analysts.

We are excited to launch the Asia-Pacific Aviation Directory (APAD) to cater to the needs of procurers, suppliers and service providers who are gearing up for these opportunities. The APAD is a a one-stop reference and leading market place where buyers can easily browse, search and review suppliers based on specific needs. Suppliers can showcase detailed content relating to their products and capabilities, certifications, operations and innovations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your business alongside other companies seeking to participate in the Asia-Pacific market.