Singapore-headquartered precision engineering firm Forefront Medical embarked on its trans-formation journey some 18 months ago, putting in $1.5 million to refurbish the clean rooms at its facility here.

"The refurbishment was not for any specific projects that were (in the pipeline), but was part of our efforts to attract more projects to the facility here in Singapore," Forefront Medical president Walter Tarca told The Straits Times.

The firm also expanded its automation capabilities and hired 11 people with medical technology expertise. These investments have been paying off amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, positioning the company, which manufactures products for the medical industry, to "catch the wave".

Among the five coronavirus-related projects it has secured recently are test kit and nasal swab production, Mr Tarca said.

While the company has caught the upswing in demand for medical products amid the virus outbreak, the investments that it has made are particularly significant because they will sustain the firm for the long term, he said, noting that the made-in-Singapore brand is one which multinational clients appreciate and value.