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How veteran engineering firm left oil and gas for data centres and power grids
As demand rises for digital infrastructure and power-grid upgrades, CSE Global has moved away from its conventional energy roots to support fast-growing sectors
Led by group managing director and chief executive officer Lim Boon Kheng, home-grown CSE Global has acquired companies in the United States and Australia as part of its growth model.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
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At home-grown engineering firm CSE Global, about 90 per cent of its clientele are repeat customers, some of which it has served for over 30 years.
The company designs and installs integrated engineering systems, and has built a reputation for supporting clients from the earliest planning stages through to the day-to-day running of their operations. It started off as the engineering arm of Chartered Electronics Industries in 1985 before being spun off in 1992.
Says group managing director and chief executive officer Lim Boon Kheng: “Unlike niche vendors or pure hardware suppliers, we integrate across the full life cycle, from design to commissioning to maintenance, which makes us a trusted partner rather than just a contractor.
“This long-term approach underpins our recurring revenue base and has enabled us to sustain a robust order book even amid global uncertainty.”
Over the years, CSE Global has also kept pace with industry shifts. Since 2022, it has shifted its focus away from its oil and gas roots to support municipalities and organisations in upgrading and securing electricity networks and power grids – areas where demand is growing.
It has also made strategic acquisitions to expand its footprint in overseas markets. On the back of these moves, CSE Global’s revenue increased from $469 million in FY2021 to $861 million in FY2024, earning it a spot on the 2026 list of Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies, compiled by The Straits Times and global research firm Statista. Today, CSE Global has about 2,000 employees across 15 countries.
Riding the wave of megatrends
The firm has also aligned its diversification with global megatrends, such as the rise in the use of data centres and artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and decarbonisation.
Some of its partners are the world’s most well-known technology leaders. For example, CSE Global is designing, engineering, manufacturing and integrating power management systems and solutions within data centres for tech giant Amazon.
Its automation solutions – including in cybersecurity and AI – have helped improve factory processes and supported intelligent transport systems by providing electronic road pricing, information displays and toll collection capabilities.
In communications, it designs, installs and maintains two-way radio communications for both permanent and temporary sites. These support functions such as personnel safety management, staff tracking, location monitoring and “man down” alerts.
Mr Lim says: “Our differentiation lies in our ability to develop and deliver end-to-end, mission critical systems across electrification, communications and automation.
“By leveraging our engineering experience, technology and diverse skill sets across our global network, we design and build systems for our clients that solve their problems.”
A focus on acquisitions and people
Strategic acquisitions are also a key part of its growth model, especially in key foreign markets such as the US and Australia.
In 2025, it purchased Chicago Communications, which sells, rents, installs and maintains communications equipment for American customers located primarily in Illinois and Indiana, expanding its presence in the country beyond California and Florida.
This was the latest in a string of acquisitions, including communications equipment firms RFC Wireless and Radio One in the US, Gambier Electronics and Marcom Watson in Australia, and the TL Parker Group in New Zealand.
“These targeted acquisitions are part of our plan to build scale and deepen our customer relationships in key markets,” Mr Lim says. “What excites me about CSE Global is the fact that our company is constantly evolving.”
He adds that much of the firm’s success comes from its people: “I’m incredibly proud of our team. They are deeply committed to their craft, care about delivering quality work and support one another.
“Many of our colleagues have grown with CSE Global over decades, including some who joined the company over 30 years ago. Their dedication and technical excellence make everything possible. It is this combination of purposeful work, meaningful relationships and the chance to contribute to something larger than myself that keeps me going each day.”
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