Advanced Manufacturing
Overview
Leading the Region in Advanced Manufacturing
3rd
in the world for manufacturing value-added activities1
1st
globally in the 2024 World Competitiveness Ranking2
$28 billion
committed to research, innovation and enterprise from 2021 to 20253
5th
largest exporter of high-tech exports globally in 20234
4 of the world's top 10 drugs
are produced in Singapore 5
Manufacturing is a key driver of Singapore’s economy, contributing to around 19 percent of the country’s GDP in 20236. In fact, the 5.4 percent year-on-year (YOY) growth in Singapore's GDP in Q3 2024 was driven primarily by the manufacturing sector which saw the most robust expansion of 11 percent YOY among other sectors.
Additionally, the shift to advanced manufacturing, known as Industry 4.0, is a burgeoning market expected to reach US$182 billion by 2028, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.4 percent.7
The rapid adoption of these technologies is transforming the manufacturing landscape, making it essential for businesses to be equipped to transform. This includes developing and adopting new technologies and staying abreast of the best practices and latest trends. To achieve this, it is important for event organisers and businesses alike to be positioned where Industry 4.0 thought leaders gather, where factories of the future thrive, and where the latest technology in advanced manufacturing are both developed and in use.
With its thriving advanced manufacturing ecosystem comprising smart factories, manufacturing centres of excellence, and huge industrial players like STMicroelectronics, Micron and Merck, Singapore offers a vibrant platform for industry professionals to learn, network and grow. This flourishing business community, paired with the opportunity to gain unrivalled access to new markets and partnerships in Asia Pacific and beyond, makes Singapore an ideal destination for marquee and leading advanced manufacturing industry events.
Why Hold Advanced Manufacturing Events in Singapore?
Enter a Vibrant Marketplace
Singapore stands at the forefront of global industrial transformation, driven by its vibrant manufacturing sector and a steadfast commitment to innovation. Their dedication is exemplified by the Manufacturing 2030 initiative, launched by the Singapore government in 2021 to grow the manufacturing sector by 50 percent by 20308.
This bold vision is supported by various forward-thinking initiatives, including the introduction of the Refundable Investment Credit (RIC) scheme in 2024. RIC offers up to 50 percent support on qualifying expenditures, including advanced manufacturing R&D projects, fostering an environment ripe for innovation9.
Further bolstering this ecosystem is the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 initiative which received a S$3 billion boost from the government in 2024, on top of its initial commitment of S$25 billion. This fund will be channelled towards deep-tech R&D, supporting the continued growth and competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing sector.
The marketplace has expanded in tandem, establishing Singapore as a leading innovation and technology hub that attracts thought leaders, investors, and key players from around the globe. Illumina, a US-based industry giant in genomic sequencing, has set up its largest global manufacturing site in Singapore, producing 95 percent of global demand for microarrays and 85 percent of global core sequencing consumables10. Dyson has also set up a S$578 million R&D facility in Singapore, aimed at implementing new advanced manufacturing tech across its regional facilities11.
Despite Singapore's small size, its semiconductor industry accounts for 20 percent of the world’s output12 highlighting Singapore’s outsized impact on the global advanced manufacturing sector. Industries like medical technology, marine and aerospace, also rely on over 2,700 precision engineering firms from Singapore for products and services12.
This dynamism is only fuelled by an abundance of collaborations between local players and multinational corporations, fostering a vibrant innovation and technology hub where entrepreneurs and forward-thinking partners meet. Examples of this can be found at Jurong Innovation District, an advanced manufacturing hub which brings together institutes of higher learning, R&D centres, technology providers, and factories of the future, or even the Planetspark Innovation Centre at Changi, which caters specifically to nurturing hardware tech startups and SMEs13. This convergence of minds creates a vibrant atmosphere where ideas are exchanged, deals are made, and groundbreaking solutions are born.
As businesses benefit from being able to tap on each other’s expertise for co-innovation, event organisers gain from finding not just an eager audience keen on learning from thought leaders on how advanced tech can drive competitive advantage, but also examples of established solutions and inspiring stories.
They may even consider bringing these case studies to life with learning journeys to different businesses, or leveraging tech to allow participants to visit a 3D smart factory14. As participants try their hands at some of the latest advanced manufacturing technologies, they walk away with a unique experience, sparking ideas and conversations that foster new connections and future innovations. More than just a venue, Singapore provides a launchpad for new ideas that advance industries and shape the future of manufacturing on a global scale.
Connect with Advanced Manufacturing Experts
The presence of technology and solutions providers and manufacturing giants in Singapore also means organisers holding an event in the country can gain access to business leaders and experts with insights not just on the latest technology being developed, but also on how to drive innovation. This connectivity to global leaders engenders meaningful collaborations and business opportunities, ensuring every interaction paves the way for positive impact.
Events rooted in key verticals like digital factory, urban digitalisation, industrial robotics, automation, big data analysis and augmented reality are high in demand. To date, there have been exhibitions showcasing the use of AI and robotics in the sector, as well as demonstrations from companies like Siemens on how businesses can successfully implement digitalisation to reach their goals in the short and long term15.
There have also been conferences on topics like additive manufacturing, as leaders from the industry have come together to discuss how to forge ahead with advanced manufacturing and set the foundation for future success.
So whether it’s a marketplace to showcase the latest developments in the sector, or a conference on the best practices and solutions, event organisers can be guaranteed that interest in the country is high, and the options for panellists, speakers and exhibitors, aplenty. By fostering meaningful connections and facilitating knowledge exchange, event organisers have the unique opportunity to build an engaged community that extends beyond the event itself.
Get Inspired
Singapore has hosted numerous international advanced manufacturing events and is well equipped with the expertise and experience to support yours. Here are some of the recent ones:
Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific (ITAP)
ITAP showcases actionable advanced manufacturing solutions that can inspire and deepen the understanding of professionals from the manufacturing industry, as well as help businesses at varying stages of technology adoption to start, scale and sustain their advanced manufacturing transformation journey.
NAMIC Global Additive Manufacturing Summit
Organised by the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and co-located with ITAP, the summit addresses the latest developments in material innovation and its impact on 3D printing serial production. It serves as an ideal platform for additive manufacturing leaders to gain insights on the advancements in sustainability, as well as industrial and consumer applications.
Process Innovation Asia-Pacific
Process Innovation Asia Pacific - Powered by Achema (PI APAC), organised by Constellar Exhibitions Pte. Ltd. is an exhibition designed for the region's process industries within the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, quality and analytics, health & beauty, and food processing industries. It will provide a comprehensive platform that gathers the experts and executives from around the world to discuss the latest technical developments and solutions for the current and future challenges of the process industries and showcases the latest applications and technologies in the process industries.
Footnotes
4 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/TX.VAL.TECH.CD
5 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/advanced-manufacturing.html
8 https://www.mti.gov.sg/COS-2023/Committee-of-Supply-2023/Singapore-Economy-2030
11 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/business-insights/insights/singapore-a-leading-manufacturing-hub.html
15 https://www.siemens.com/sg/en/company/fairs-events/itap.html