Medical technology firm Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) was yesterday conferred the Distinguished Partner in Progress award by the Government, one of the highest national corporate honours.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, speaking at the ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, thanked BD for being committed to Singapore, making substantial investments here and creating quality jobs .

"BD, a global leader in medical technology, has been a committed partner of Singapore over the last three decades," Mr Tharman said.

The American firm started operating here in 1987, and now employs about 1,400 associates across its research and development, manufacturing, commercial and regional headquarter functions.

Singapore hosts BD's regional headquarters as well as its largest manufacturing site and research hub in Greater Asia.

Today, Singapore is also one of BD's key centres of innovation. In 2014, BD opened an annex building in Tuas, consolidating key functions across the innovation cycle.

BD also plans to establish a new Strategic Innovation Centre here, to strengthen its partnerships with local healthcare providers, academia and start-ups, Mr Tharman said.

Mr Vincent Forlenza, chairman, president and chief executive of BD, who accepted the award on behalf of the company, said: "We're very proud to be among the first medical technology companies to invest significantly in Singapore."

Mr Forlenza, who is based at the company's head office in the United States, visited Singapore to receive the award.

He praised the Government for its strategic vision, saying he looked forward to meetings with the Economic Development Board as it planned many years into the future.

"It has been my great pleasure to work with the EDB and Government of Singapore, personally now for about 20 years," he said.

The award is administered by the EDB. Trade and Industry (Trade) Minister Lim Hng Kiang also attended the awards ceremony.