SINGAPORE - Rigbuilder Sembcorp Marine on Tuesday (Nov 3) opened a new steel structure fabrication workshop - the largest of its kind in South-east Asia.
The 1.3-million sq ft facility in Tuas Boulevard operates with a suite of computerised systems and equipment, as well as a process that aims to optimise production efficiency while reducing man-hours and production time to half the previous process requirements for every tonne of steel fabricated.
It also includes a fully-automated panel production line that delivers "high-quality welding precision and efficiency" while reducing manpower needs, said SembMarine.
"This new facility will integrate with all other capabilities in our flagship Tuas Boulevard Yard and allow us to more effectively offer customers a one-stop shop for offshore and marine engineering solutions," SembMarine president and chief executive Wong Weng Sun said in a statement.
"It is also a key feature of our ongoing development to turn the Tuas Boulevard Yard into a high-tech production hub that underpins Sembcorp Marine's ability to compete on value and scale."
SembMarine in July had announced a reorganisation of its businesses into a single brand and company.
The company, which last month reported a 75.7 per cent drop in net profit for the three months to Sept 30, has been faced with headwinds amid the oil price slump.
Still, Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) chairman Beh Swan Gin, who was at the launch, noted that companies like Sembcorp Marine have "an important role to play in shaping the future of the offshore and marine industry".
"Today, the sector is a significant contributor to our economy, providing good jobs for Singaporeans, but the continued transformation of the industry is critical for its long-term success," said Dr Beh.
"Sembcorp Marine is a good example of how companies can enhance competitiveness through the use of innovative solutions."
