Investment Immigration to Singapore focuses on Singapore's economy: Singapore's status as a global industrial hub is closely related to the large-scale development of Jurong Island.
Currently, there are over 100 energy and chemical companies on Jurong Island, attracting more than 47 billion Singapore dollars (approximately 235 billion RMB) in foreign investment, employing over 8,000 people. International industrial giants such as Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, DuPont, BASF, Sumitomo Chemicals, and Mitsui Chemicals have established production bases on the chemical island.
In 2013, the total output value of Singapore's chemical industry was 97.11 billion Singapore dollars, accounting for 33.4% of the total manufacturing output value; the added value was 3.98 billion Singapore dollars, accounting for 6.9% of the manufacturing added value; and the number of employees was 24,900, accounting for 6% of the manufacturing employment.
Competitiveness
Within the entire value chain, proprietary manufacturing processes are key to the competitiveness of energy and chemical companies. Singapore has a mature and comprehensive intellectual property protection system, making it an ideal choice for companies looking to develop proprietary technologies and manufacturing processes and commercialize their results.
The Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) is located on Jurong Island and is directly under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), serving as an autonomous national research institution. The establishment of this institute aims to conduct a series of R&D activities, from exploratory research to process development, optimization, and problem-solving, as well as the operation of pilot-scale projects. The central task of ICES is to provide highly trained R&D personnel, establish a strong scientific base, and develop technologies and infrastructure.
Singapore not only has public research institutions like ICES but also many private research centers established by chemical companies (such as 3M, Bayer, and BASF).
Singapore also has certain advantages in industries such as shipping and offshore engineering, water treatment, and lubricants, focusing on developing high-value-added fine chemical industries to serve other related industrial clusters and further expand the chemical industry. At the same time, fine chemical companies can leverage Singapore's proximity to their customers and end consumers to develop new fine chemicals tailored to their consumers, quickly responding to the emerging demands of the Asian market.
In this highly complex and dynamic industry, talent is the core driving force. Singapore's academic institutions train and supply a large number of excellent engineering and management talents to the industry each year, along with skilled technicians. To further prepare engineering graduates for entering the industry, the government has invested in building efficient kerosene separators on Jurong Island. This equipment, located at the Chemical Processing Technology Center (CPTC), provides graduates with a pilot for simulating startup, shutdown, and safety procedures.
In addition to having a large pool of well-trained local human resources, Singapore's superior geographical location and livability enable companies here to attract experienced talents from around the world.
Jurong Island is also a secure and reliable chemical manufacturing base, emphasizing safety and security.
Development Trends
To address climate change and global energy shortages, Singapore has taken the lead in raising standards for energy efficiency and emissions management. In the coming years, influential projects will be launched to maintain Jurong Island's attractiveness as a comprehensive manufacturing center. This includes the construction of key infrastructure such as gasification plants, liquefied natural gas stations, and multi-user product grids.
Asia is experiencing tremendous development in various aspects, such as rapid urbanization, demographic changes, and the rise of the middle class, all of which are changing the demand for products and services in the Asian market. As one of the world's most advanced energy and chemical hubs, Singapore contributes significantly to the industry in both output and research.
