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Singapore’s strategic location gave it its start as a successful port, and with trade came prosperity. As Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence in 2015, join us as we look back at how Singapore’s has grown and developed since its time as the Kingdom of Singapura, resulting in the bustling city you see today.
Early History: Myth and Legend
As much of Singapore's early history is shrouded in myth and legend, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions on the state of the island's development then. However, archeological evidence shows that there was an urbanised settlement by the 14th Century, although allusions by traveller accounts indicate that there may have been a city or town present as early as the 2nd Century. By the 14th Century, Temasek was an important port doing trade with even the Mongol Empire.
Singapore was known as Temasek, meaning “Sea Town” in Old Javanese, until a Srivijayan prince named Sang Nila Utama landed on the island in 1324. Legend has it that Sang Nila Utama saw a mysterious creature that they decided was a lion, which led to him naming the island Singapura or Lion City, thus establishing the Kingdom of Singapura.
The Next Stage: Colonial Rule
Much of what we know of Singapore's urban development can easily be traced to the start of Singapore's modern history: colonisation.
The Malay Archipelago was taken over by European colonial powers between the 16th and 19th Century. Sir Stamford Raffles, a British statesman, landed in Singapore in 1819, and established modern Singapore as a free port. The lack of port duties made Singapore a success, with mass immigration taking place. Bugis, Peranakan Chinese and Arab traders flocked to Singapore and the population had doubled from 5,000 in 1821 to 10,000 by 1825. This increase in population led to urban problems of course – gambling and opium dens sprung up, as did squatter settlements.
As a result, Raffles drew up the Raffles Plan of Singapore, which segregated Singapore into functional and ethnic enclaves. You can still see the remnants of the Raffles Plan today in the form of Little India and Chinatown, as well as the civil district.
The architectural impact of colonial rule is especially evident in the civil district. Just a few of the prominent buildings here include the Fullerton Hotel, which used to be the General Post Office Building; the Arts House which used to be the Parliament House; and the new National Gallery, which makes use of two historical buildings, the City Hall and the former Supreme Court.
It is not only colonial buildings that still remain from the era. Places of worship such as the Sri Mariamman Temple and the Thian Hock Keng temple were built during the 19th Century and are still standing today. Shophouses which have been restored and repurposed can be found in Chinatown, the Katong area, Geylang and even at the Emerald Hill area along Orchard Road.
Public Concerns: Housing Issues
The SIT was replaced by the Housing Development Board (HDB) in 1960, five years before Singapore gained independence. One of the last kampongs in Singapore, Kampong Bukit Ho Swee, was razed by one of Singapore's biggest fires in May 1961. This proved to be a pivotal event in the development of public housing in Singapore as it paved the way for further development and acceptance of public housing. A combination of wind conditions and oil and petrol from nearby godowns made the fire devastating – an estimated 16,000 people out of over 19,000 were left homeless, and the destruction of property and livestock meant many were destitute. This spurred organisations such as the Social Welfare Department, the police force, the HDB, the Health Department and other organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance Brigade into action. In nine months, all the displaced kampong dwellers were successfully rehoused in public flats.
Another fire in the Bukit Ho Swee area in 1968 spelt the death keel of the kampong, and the area was successfully transformed into a public housing estate.
Public housing in Singapore grew from strength to strength. Apart from providing one-room flats as emergency housing as in the case of the Kampong Bukit Ho Swee fire, public housing also provided luxuries unavailable in cramped shophouses and squatter settlements such as electricity, flush toilets and piped water. By 1976, more than 50 per cent of Singapore's population was living in HDB flats, compared to 8.8 per cent living in SIT flats in 1959.
As the Singapore economy grew and the population became wealthier, further choices in the type of flats were made available. Today, HDB flats run the gamut from smaller flats that cater to lower income families to 5-room flats meant to accommodate three generations and even Executive Condominiums which are designed with all the fittings and facilities of private condominiums such as swimming pools, clubhouses and more.
Singapore Today
And it is not just a glittering, pretty façade – the importance of features such as low carbon emissions and universal design are incorporated in Singapore's architecture. Many historical buildings are preserved and restored to retain a tangible link to Singapore’s rich history. To find out more, view the Industry Awards section, starting on page A19, which celebrates international as well as local awards given out to noteworthy architectural achievements in Singapore.
Jointly organised by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Lianhe Zaobao, the Singapore Prestige Brand Award is on the hunt for Singapore brands ready for an adventurous and worthwhile ascent to prestige and honour!
Is your brand one of them? Come forth and take part in SPBA!
To participate, the Brand must adhere to these criteria:
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1 Brands that are established for 6 to 8 years old may opt to participate in either SPBA - Promising Brands or SPBA - Established Brands
2 Brands that are established for 26 to 30 years old may opt to participate in either SPBA - Established Brands or SPBA - Heritage Brands
3 “Foreign market” is defined as “a country OR a city with population exceeding 5 million”
Entries must reach the Award Secretariat by 12 noon, Friday, 29 May 2015.
Call 6513 0361 / 6513 0365 or visit www.spba.com.sg for more details.
2014 WINNERS
SPBA 2014 Overall Winners: Orange Clove Catering, SMILE INC.® DENTAL SURGEONS, Tong Garden, Esco
SPBA - PROMISING BRANDS 2014
| 1. BeeChoo Origin | 5. GPS Alliance | 9. Q'SOFT® |
| 2. bio-home | 6. Loyal Reliance Pte Ltd | 10. Sky Creation |
| 3. Chocoelf | 7. LUZ | 11. T32 Dental Centre |
| 4. Golden Palm | 8. ORANGE CLOVE CATERING | 12. Teambuild Land |
SPBA - ESTABLISHED BRANDS 2014
| 1. ACTC Translation Centre | 8. Lian Wang Trading Pte Ltd | 15. SMILE INC.® DENTAL SURGEONS |
| 2. Chang Cheng Group | 9. MoneyMax | 16. Sunhuan Construction Pte Ltd |
| 3. CHEN KANG WELLNESS | 10. OWELL | 17. Sunray Woodcraft Construction |
| 4. FANCO | 11. Pioneer Tackle | 18. TOUCHE™ |
| 5. FotoHub | 12. Serrano | 19. Verztec |
| 6. Huber's Butchery | 13. SK Jewellery | 20. XDel |
| 7. KOP Properties | 14. SKP |
SPBA - HERITAGE BRANDS 2014
| 1. Chatterbox | 5. OWL | 9. Tong Garden |
| 2. Gao Ji Food (s) Pte Ltd | 6. Shun Zhou | 10. Unity Denticare |
| 3. Han's | 7. SIA & YEO HEAVY EQUIPMENT PTE LTD | |
| 4. Kin Teck Tong | 8. Soon Lian Holdings Ltd |
SPBA - MAYBANK REGIONAL BRANDS 2014
| 1. Esco | 3. Mano Equestrian Services (Pte) Ltd | 5. Pioneer Tackle |
| 2. Kitchen Culture | 4. Naturel |
SPBA - SPECIAL MERIT 2014
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1. SHRI |
| 2. Singapore Chinese Orchestra |
All information and images are courtesy of the Singapore Prestige Brand Award (SPBA) and Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME).
For more information, contact the Award Secretariat at:
Association of Small and Medium Enterprises
167 Jalan Bukit Merah, #03-13 Tower 4, Singapore 150167
Tel: +65 6513 0361 / 0365
Fax: +65 6509 7442
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Singapore government has outlined its bold ambition to become the world's first Smart Nation. Building on the success of its Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015) master plan, the Republic is looking to further transform itself into a better place to live, work and play by tapping on transformational infocomm and media (ICM) technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and analytics.
Since its launch in 2006, iN2015 has laid the groundwork for Singapore's smart nation transformation, with the development of a ubiquitous and robust high-speed infocomm infrastructure, a competitive infocomm industry with a talented workforce, and high adoption rates of broadband and infocomm technology (ICT) amongst individuals, homes and businesses. Now, even as Singapore is working on its next 10-year masterplan – focusing on developing smart communities – the government has already set in motion several major initiatives that will shape the future.
Spearheading Development
In his opening address at the Infocomm Media and Business Exchange (imbX) in June 2014, Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim noted that as cities continue to grow, demands on urban infrastructure will also increase and resources will become scarcer, and said it is therefore imperative to develop smart communities which are driven by intelligence, integration and innovation. The minister also said that a Smart Nation can become a reality by successfully combining policy, people and technology in a concerted fashion.
A key component in this is the Smart Nation Platform (SNP), which is built around three focus areas: Connect, Collect and Comprehend.
Under Connect, Singapore will strengthen its communications backbone, and extend connectivity through the progressive deployment of Above Ground (AG) Boxes and the Heterogeneous Network (HetNet). The AG Boxes will provide street level connectivity points by supplying points for fibre access and power, and the ready common communications infrastructure for sensor deployment. The HetNet will allow everyone and everything to be always connected via the best available network to serve their connectivity needs with a high speed, everywhere, at anytime.
Under Collect and Comprehend, the government will roll-out an operating system where public agencies can plug into essential sensor data. This data would be protected and managed before being shared. Insights gained from this data would pave the way for the government and public agencies to resolve issues before they are raised by the general public, allowing citizens to be better served through improved policy planning and the creation of citizen-centric services. For instance, better data and analysis would allow more cleaners to attend to public housing estates that have more litter.
Test Beds and Trials
Dr Yaacob also announced that the upcoming Jurong Lake District (JLD) will be the test-bed for these new Smart Nation technologies. Located in the western part of the island state, JLD will be the largest commercial and regional centre outside Singapore’s Central Business District. It is envisioned to be a mixed-used urban precinct characterised by sustainable development and connectivity.
Starting from the third quarter of 2014, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) will be rolling out at least 15 trials in partnership with other public agencies and involving more than 20 partnering companies. Over 1,000 data sensors will be deployed in three main areas: urban mobility, sustainability, and improving sensing and situational awareness.
One such pilot is the uClim, a web-based service that aims to empower planners with real-time environmental information such as temperature, relative humidity and air quality to enable them to monitor and analyse microclimates. Led by local startup BioMachines, the trial will assess the potential for urban planners, for example, to use uClim to plan, design, and take action in creating comfortable outdoor spaces for social gatherings.
Bringing Smart Technology into Homes
The minister also outlined in his speech how Singapore is looking to use technology to provide services and applications that can benefit the people. This will be through the IoT@Home initiative, which aims to enable seamless interoperability between connected smart devices in a home setting. IDA will work with the industry to identify relevant open standards and open architecture, as well as developing and testing innovative IoT applications for homes. The initiative will focus on key areas of applications that include wellness, active aging, home-based care, and sustainable living.
Besides the IDA, another public agency that is delving into the realm of smart cities technology is the Housing and Development Board (HDB). In September 2014, Singapore's public housing authority announced its Smart HDB Town Framework, which aims to leverage on information and communication technology to make HDB towns and estates more livable, efficient, sustainable and safer for residents.
The framework straddles four key pillars: Smart Planning, Smart Environment, Smart Estate and Smart Living. Under Smart Planning, HDB will be looking to introduce technologies such as Complex Systems Modelling tools, which help planners to understand the trade-offs involved when introducing new sustainable features into HDB towns.
Under Smart Environment and Smart Estate, HDB will look into linking estates with a network of sensors capturing real-time information on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, while leveraging on Smart technologies to collect and analyse data, which helps to optimise maintenance cycles and pre-empt problems.
With these technologies in place, HDB could introduce innovative new solutions. For example, smart fans located in common areas can be triggered when certain thresholds of temperature and humidity are reached. Meanwhile, lightings fitted with sensors, installed in the common areas, can help HDB to understand human traffic patterns and optimise the provision of lighting to save energy.
Under Smart Living, HDB will provide digital infrastructure in flats to pave the way for intelligent homes. With these infrastructures in place, residents will be able to tap on Smart home applications developed by commercial companies that can enhance energy savings, and enable them to access services like healthcare in the comfort of their homes. Such applications include Smart Elderly Alert Systems for families who may wish to monitor elderly relatives to keep them safe.
HDB will be test-bedding these smart technologies in the first four housing projects of its Punggol Northshore district, set to be launched in 2015.
With so much in the pipeline, the stage is truly set for Singapore to become the world's first Smart Nation. And although such a vision will take time and effort to see to fruition, the commitment and careful planning of the government, the roll-out of key initiatives and infrastructure, and the engagement and collaboration with businesses and the community will go a long way towards helping Singapore realise it Smart Nation future.
In recent years, the Singapore government has been championing the adoption of new technologies in the building and construction sector to increase productivity and reduce reliance on foreign manpower.
The reward at the end of the day is worthwhile: the transformation of Singapore’s construction sector into one that is cleaner and faster, but with no trade-off in quality and safety.
While efforts are gathering pace, there is both room for improvement and need for urgency, with construction labour productivity falling 1.3 per cent in the first half of 2014 compared to the same period a year ago.
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
The range of new technologies the government is introducing span the different stages of a project lifecycle. One such technology that can impact productivity during the design and planning stage is Building Information Modelling (BIM).
BIM is a new three-dimensional modeling technology, which allows a building project to be explored and reviewed digitally, even before a single brick has been laid. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has identified BIM as game-changing technology, with the ability to engender greater integration and collaboration between building professionals working across the construction value chain.
BCA is encouraging the adoption of BIM by the local building and construction sector, and has mandated in electronic submissions BIM format for regulatory approval of architectural, structural and mechanical and electrical (M&E) building work plans by 2015, starting with architectural e-submissions in 2013.
Early adopters here have already reported positive feedback, with companies surveyed reporting an average of 30 per cent improvement in efficiency due to better visualisation, upfront conflict resolution, reduced errors and consistent documentation.
Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) & Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)
Beyond design and planning, the government is also driving adoption of new technologies during the construction phase of the project life cycle.
During the 2014 Budget debate, the Ministry of National Development (MND) announced that developers would have to adopt productive technologies for selected Government Land Sale (GLS) sites from the second half of the year.
These technologies include PPVC for hotels and residential projects and CLT for low and medium-rise buildings. Prefabricated bathroom units (PBUs) will be mandated for residential GLS sites, while industrial GLS sites will also require a minimum level of prefabrication.
For PPVC, complete flats or modules made of multiple units are manufactured in factories, before being transported on site for installation and piecing together. PPVC can help speed up the construction process, potentially achieving a productivity improvement of 30 to 50 per cent for manpower and time savings respectively.
In an August blog post, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan announced that a 10-storey building extension to the Crown Plaza Changi Airport Hotel would be constructed using the PPVC method.
Meanwhile, in the USA, the upcoming Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn will boast the world’s largest tower built using the PPVC method. At 32 storeys when complete, the residential tower dubbed B2 will only take 20 months to build compared to 30 months using conventional construction methods.
CLT is an advanced material manufactured from wood harvested from sustainably managed forests and fabricated by binding layers of timber at 90 degrees with structural adhesives to produce a solid timber panel. First developed in Switzerland in the 1990's, CLT has become popular in Europe, with Austria alone accounting for 80 per cent of the world's CLT supply.
CLT is significantly lighter than steel and concrete, thus making it much easier to handle. This also brings about a quieter construction and cleaner construction sites, since modules are prefabricated in factories and assembled on site. Usage of CLT can also positively impact productivity and reduce the overall duration of construction by 30 to 35 per cent with fewer workers required.
The Forte in Melbourne, Australia, at 10 storeys is currently the tallest residential timber building in the world. In Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has also committed to constructing its new sports hall using CLT.
Other Measures
Besides mandating the usage of such productive technologies on GLS sites, the BCA will also be incentivising industry players by providing funding support for adopters of such technologies.
The government agency will also create the requisite eco-system for these technologies to flourish by working with SPRING Singapore and industry players to develop standards, codes and guidelines. In terms of education, the BCA Academy is rolling out courses, workshops and seminars on the new technologies to build up expertise in the sector.
Meanwhile, the government has also pledged to set the right example by deploying such technologies in select public sector projects.
Level Up
Having recognised the pressing need to bring Singapore's building and construction sector to a higher level of productivity, the government has mapped out a comprehensive roadmap to achieve just that.
From identifying the relevant technologies to providing funding and incentives for their adoption, as well as mandating their use for developments on GLS sites, the right set of conditions are in place for these technologies to take root and flourish here.
Singapore has been making steady progress on its Green Building journey for a number of years. Now into the third iteration of its Green Building Masterplan, the government's vision of a Greener built environment for Singapore is fast gathering pace with increasing buy-in from the building and construction industry.
Taking the First Steps
In 2005, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) launched the BCA Green Mark Scheme to drive Singapore's construction industry towards more environmentally-friendly buildings. The intention was to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise environmental-awareness among developers, designers and developers.
In order to achieve the BCA Green Mark, buildings would need to meet specific criteria in key areas such as energy and water efficiency, environmental protection, indoor environmental quality and other green features and innovation.
In 2006, with the Green Mark scheme in place, BCA launched Singapore's first Green Building Masterplan, which encouraged the industry to go green when developing new buildings. As part of the masterplan, a sum of S$20 million was set aside for the Green Mark Incentive Scheme (GMIS) for a period of 3 years or upon full commitment.
To further accelerate the adoption of environmentally-friendly green building technologies and building design practices, the GMIS for new buildings provided cash incentives to developers, building owners, project architects and mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineers who achieved at least a BCA Green Mark Gold rating or higher in the design and construction of new buildings.
The Ministry of National Development also launched a S$50 million research fund to encourage the development of more viable and cost-effective green building technologies and energy efficiency solutions. Some 49 proposals have been accepted since, and funds of S$32 million distributed so far.
Among the key projects committed to was BCA's flagship R&D project called the Zero Energy Building (ZEB). Opened on 26 Oct 2009, the ZEB is a three-storey addition and alteration to an existing institutional building at the BCA Academy, and was conceived to serve as a test-bed for integration of Green Building Technologies (GBT) in existing buildings.
The ZEB is around 40 to 50 per cent more efficient than a similar office building, achieved through a combination of passive design and active technologies. This includes designing the building to reduce heat transmittance, bring in daylight and encourage natural ventilation, as well as installing intelligent building features such as sensors to adjust lighting, temperature and air-conditioning control. To achieve energy sufficiency, the ZEB is powered by a broad spectrum of solar panels installed at many locations in the building.
Building Upon the Foundation
In April 2008, the Building Control Act was amended so that minimum standards are now imposed on environmental sustainability for buildings. This brought standards for all new buildings to a level on par with the Green Mark Certified standard. The government took this one step further with the launch of the second Green Building Masterplan in 2009, requiring all larger new air-conditioned public sector buildings to achieve the highest Green Mark Platinum award. Existing public sector building will need to achieve the Green Mark Gold Plus standard by 2020 too.
To encourage developers to achieve higher-tier Green Mark ratings for new and re-construction buildings, BCA and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also launched the Green Mark Gross Floor Area (GM GFA) Incentive Scheme, which awards additional gross floor area to developers who do so.
Under the second masterplan, BCA launched the S$100 million Green Mark Incentive Scheme for Existing Buildings (GMIS-EB). This cash incentive scheme aims to encourage private building owners of existing buildings to undertake retrofits to achieve significant improvement in energy efficiency.
With the second masterplan in motion, the government set itself an ambitious target to green 80 per cent of Singapore's building stock by 2030. As of the third quarter of 2014, more than one quarter of Singapore's built-up area has been greened, with the Republic on track to achieve its target in 2030.
Extending the Green Building Drive
In September 2014, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan launched the third Green Building Masterplan at the opening ceremony of the International Green Building Conference and the BEX Asia Expo. Developed by the BCA, the plan will guide Singapore's green building journey over the next five to 10 years.
This latest edition of the Green Building Masterplan is focused on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) tenants and occupiers. Together with building owners, they will be able to tap on the S$50 million Phase 2 Green Mark Incentive Scheme to adopt more energy-efficient measures for existing buildings and premises. The scheme will help to fund up to half of the retrofitting costs of energy-efficient improvements to buildings and premises - subject to a maximum of S$3 million for building owners and S$20,000 for occupants and tenants.
One key area of focus for the masterplan will be tapping on smart devices and data analytics in the built environment sector. The government will encourage the use of smart controls and sensors within buildings. By employing web-based tools to track, analyse and report buildings' performance, facility managers can better decide how to run their building systems to improve resource efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Another aspect of the third masterplan will be the setting up of the Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC), which will seek to help the industry move beyond existing technological standards and limits through more research, development and demonstration (RD&D). Funded to the tune of S$52 million, the GBIC will integrate efforts in developing large scale and high impact demonstration projects for promising energy efficiency technologies and solutions.
A national repository of energy efficiency information will also be set up under the GBIC to provide the building industry with data and allow it to gain confidence in adopting innovative technologies. Aside from research, the GBIC will also serve as a platform to bring different building stakeholders together on projects of common interest.
Through a comprehensive framework of incentives, legislation, research, education and engagement, the BCA has successfully steered the local building a construction sector on its green building journey. Close to a decade after the launch of the BCA Green Mark, the greening of Singapore's built environment is gathering pace with industry players increasingly cognizant of the benefits of adopting green technologies and sustainable design for their buildings.
The Port of Singapore has an illustrious history. Established in the 1800s, it was and is still an economic boon of Singapore. In the present day, businesses in Singapore and around the world can now import, export and tranship oil and gas, offshore and marine-related cargo, and also tranship sea-stores upon the facilitation of the Singapore Customs.
Singapore’s Illustrious Maritime History
It all started in 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles arrived and established modern Singapore as a free port which soon became a bustling centre for trade. According to PSA Singapore, in 1982, Singapore became the world’s busiest port by shipping tonnage, achieving one million TEUs a year for the first time. The shipping industry went to further heights in 1990, crossing five million TEUS mark in a year and becoming the world’s largest container port for the first time. Four years later, Singapore achieved 10 million TEUs in a year and later continued to grow by establishing its first overseas project in China.
Singapore – The Globally-Renowned Maritime Hub
Singapore is known to be a leading centre for ship repair, and its other key activities include building of marine vessels and offshore structures, vessel design and engineering and marine equipment and services. The nation has also become a strategic centre for maritime business. With its excellent reputation in the maritime and shipping industry, coupled with sophisticated port facilities, shipyards and various services, Singapore has developed into an International Maritime Centre (IMC) where ships convene and also where services in shipping, commerce and logistics flourish.
Pledging Commitment Sustainable Maritime Practices
2014 saw maritime organisations demonstrating their commitment towards sustainability and green shipping in Singapore. According to the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), since the launch of the Maritime Singapore Green Pledge in 2011, a total of 90 companies have pledged their commitment towards promoting clean and green shipping in Singapore, and employ an array of solutions in their efforts to go green, ranging from environmental management technology to green design initiatives for vessels and infrastructure. Close to 2,900 vessel calls have enjoyed port dues concessions under the Green Port Programme and S$17 million of co-funding has been approved under the Green Technology Programme.
Progressing through Research & Development
Singapore’s marine sector is constantly striving for industry improvements, and this is done through active research & development (R&D) efforts. The government has built marine and offshore infrastructure to support these initiatives
| Maritime Research Centre (MRC) | The MRC is a centre for R&D in maritime technology jointly set up by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). MRC was established in 2001 and aims to initiate and undertake research to develop technologies and IT applications in the port and maritime field. |
| Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) | TSMI aims to promote integrated marine science in R&D as well as establish itself as a regional and international education and training institute. |
| Centre of Innovation – Marine & Offshore Technology (CoI) | The CoI aims to provide technology consultancy to develop practical and downstream technology platforms for SMEs in the marine industry. |
| The Marine Group Local Industry Programme (LIUP) | Supported by the EDB, the LUIP strives to promote positive relationships between customers and local suppliers, develop a stronger marine cluster as well as core competencies and capabilities. |
| Centre for Offshore Research and Engineering (CORE) | Set up by the EDB, CORE aims to promote and coordinate R&D and develop manpower for Singapore’s offshore engineering industry. |
Last year, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a leading provider of global marine and offshore classification services and MPA signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote maritime research and development (R&D) and innovation. This MOU will see ABS and MPA collaborating on maritime R&D in the areas of alternative/clean fuel and developing resilient, next generation port systems. The agreement also builds upon the ABS-MPA Maritime Technology Professorship programme at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to strengthen SUTD's capabilities in maritime education and R&D to further boost the growth of marine and offshore technology development in Singapore.
What Lies Ahead
Over the past few decades, shipyards in Singapore have gained recognition for their excellent quality and services. With its strategic location, world-class infrastructure and consistent R&D efforts, Singapore’s marine industry is set to soar to even greater heights.
The marine supplies industry is extremely competitive - Singapore ship suppliers compete not just locally but also regionally and globally. Therefore, it is imperative that companies constantly evolve in terms of quality of products and services to stay ahead of competition.
Positive customer experience is what brings a customer back. If the customer is happy, they return. It is therefore essential for companies to understand the importance of having a holistic framework in place to achieve service excellence.
The marine industry faces especially unique challenges, and the Standards, People, Acknowledge, Relationship and Knowledge or SPARK framework provides the roadmap to service excellence for businesses to retain talent and overcome challenges.
Standards
Service and quality standards must be articulated to every team member with clear standard operating procedures in place. Benchmarking to international quality standards sends a clear message to both internal and external customers about the company’s quality stance. Quality standards like ISO certifications are important to guide the companies towards a quality-centred culture. Ship owners and operators have to conform to strict rules and regulations, and also require their vendors to have the necessary qualifications to support their operations. Today, just having ISO 9000 is insufficient as customers are requiring their vendors to be certified ISO 14000, OHSAS 18000 and ISO 22000. Companies with these standards have added advantage over their competitors that don’t, while companies who fail to upgrade their standards consistently will risk becoming irrelevant.
People
People are a company’s greatest asset. A company is only as good as the people are. If your people are happy and motivated, they will do a good job and your customers will be happy. Treat employees like your customers and you will see the difference. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have informal talent management departments who decide on the hiring and firing as well as the policies. These companies often do not have clear guidelines and policies and many decisions are reactive rather than proactive. It is important to establish clear career routes of advancement for employees through training or education, coupled with fair rewards and compensation packages.
Acknowledge
It is important to acknowledge good work and effort sincerely. A word of appreciation from management goes a long way. Good work by employees can be recognised through Employee of the Month Awards, company newsletters or even a simple email message. This sends a positive message to employees that the company appreciates and recognises employees who make an effort to excel at the workplace.
If things don’t go right with your customers, acknowledge the concerns and complaints of customers promptly. Communicate and find a solution for the customer and you might have a customer for life. Service recovery is an important aspect of delivering good service. Most companies, like people, don’t like to deal with unpleasant situations. But the company that is able to handle difficult situations gracefully and in a timely manner is one that has a strong customer service culture, and is able to continuously learn and improve. Most customers can see that these companies are making an effort to correct the situation and will appreciate the effort. Companies that sweep complaints and feedback under the carpet will draw negative feedback resulting in negative brand equity.
Relationship
It is important to build relational capital with both internal and external customers. It is also important to understand their needs and expectations. Positive relational capital will ensure a long-term relationship. The tangible and intangible costs of replacing a trained team member are substantial. Besides losing the knowledge base of the individual, the relationships established with customers are also lost. Time and effort has to be invested to retrain new team members, who then have to start from scratch when building relationships with customers.
Companies should have in place a formal feedback process and regular dialogues with employees to better understand their needs and challenges. Annual town hall style meetings with employees are a useful platform to share the company’s direction and goals, and have a dialogue with senior management at the same time. Cultivating a healthy relationship amongst employees is also important in ensuring teamwork and co-operation to provide the customer with a seamless experience.
Likewise, regular contact and dialogues with customers will allow companies to better understand the needs and requirements of the customers. Companies can then use these information to tailor their products and services to meet their customers’ needs. It is not about selling the customers what you want to sell, but rather, selling them what they need to ensure business sustainability.
Knowledge
A well-trained team is always an asset to the company. It is important to embrace the culture of continuous learning. There must be space to allow members to make mistakes as they innovate and push the boundaries of excellence. Companies must encourage a culture that emphasises continuous learning. With a reasonable training budget, companies have various options with regards to formalising a training program. Companies can work with vendors to conduct in-house training or engage an external trainer for other soft skills training. A change from the normal working environment will allow employees to have a broader perspective apart from gaining knowledge. This will also invariably increase the customer’s confidence in dealing with the company.
This article was brought to you by Danny Lien, President of the Singapore Association of Ship Suppliers (SASS).
According to IE Singapore, the worldwide home furnishing industry is expected to reach S$855 billion (US$700 billion) by 2015. Singapore's furniture industry has expanded rapidly over the years, with home decoration and environmentally-friendly products gaining popularity among consumers. These consumers are also increasingly willing to fork out money for luxury furniture.
It is heartening to see that Singapore’s furniture industry has regained its growth momentum despite the global economic turmoil. The Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) reported a total furniture trade amounting to an estimated S$6.01 billion for 2013, clocking a positive growth of 3.3 per cent from 2012. Looking ahead, industry players do expect this growth to reach a total trade value of S$6.34 billion by 2014, resulting in a cumulative growth of around 9 per cent in the period between 2012 and 2014.
Green Initiatives
In 2013, The Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and Singapore Environment Council (SEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further promote the awareness of environmental sustainability and encourage the adoption of green best practices among Singapore furniture companies. This marks SFIC's second MOU with a green council, after the first with Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) in 2012.
This MOU is a three-year plan which will see SFIC and SEC as well as SGBC working together to improve furniture manufacturers' sustainability expertise through various programmes like training seminars and conferences, and also programmes to help companies attain certification marks which encourages manufacturers to adhere to international environmental best practices in their manufacturing process.
Said Mr Ernie Koh, President of SFIC, “Our Singapore furniture companies are already well-recognised in the global market for their high quality and professional business management. The MOUs will further enhance our standing and raise our competitiveness and reputation in the eco-friendly furniture market.”
Recognising Industry Talents
Much focus is also placed on recognising the talents and contributions of individuals and enterprises in the furniture industry. The Singapore Furniture Industry Awards, organised by SFIC and supported by the DesignSingapore Council, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and SPRING Singapore, aims to raise the standards, profile and image of the furniture industry by promoting innovation, creativity and excellence.
Creating Global Networks
Come March 2015, The International Furniture Fair Singapore 2015, held in conjunction with the 32nd ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS 2015) and co-locating with The Décor Show and Hospitality 360° will see its first ever European Union (EU) participation.
Mr Koh highlighted Singapore's feasibility as a viable location to explore business opportunities. In a press release on July 2014, he commented: “Due to Singapore’s infrastructure and strategic location as well as the proven track record of IFFS, it was naturally the preferred choice for the first EU Business Avenues programme in ASEAN. We are delighted that the EU has made the choice decision to leverage on the IFFS as the platform to showcase European Designs with the business objective to gain exposure and experience for their businesses in ASEAN. I am sure the plethora of shows can offer abundant networking and business opportunities for the delegates to explore the dynamism of the markets here.”
During the official opening of the International Furniture Fair Singapore/31st ASEAN Furniture Show, the Decor Show and Hospitality 360°, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister of Trade and Industry acknowledged the need for internationalisation and export for growth, and how Singapore companies should look beyond the local landscape for opportunities to expand their businesses and boost productivity. “Emerging markets in China and Southeast Asia, as well as the developed markets of the United States and Europe, offer promising opportunities for our companies,” he elaborated.
Design – A Key Focus of the Furniture Industry
It goes without saying that appealing aesthetics are one of the most important aspects of furniture. Furniture companies in Singapore have garnered international accolades such as the Good Design Award and Red Dot Award, all of which have been featured in major international news outlets. According to IE Singapore, these companies also boast an excellent network of factories across Asia, thus facilitating hassle-free liaison with multiple parties, importation and onsite installation.
To fully leverage design as a key competitive advantage and driver for the growth of Singapore's furniture industry, SFIC, supported by SPRING Singapore, has implemented the Furniture Design DNA (Develop, Nuture and Accelerate) in a bid to raise design capabilities, nurture design talents and accelerate business growth. Spearheaded by SFIC's Design Development Division, Furniture DNA aims to help local furniture companies, designers and students grow to their full potential.
Other initiatives have also been introduced, for example, SingaPlural, a week-long event where international talents across the creative industries showcase their talents through installations, exclusively curated design spaces, symposiums, competitions and many other activities. These programmes are projects of SingaPlural:
- The Furniture Design Award (FDA) provides a platform for designers to express their creativity and gain recognition in the furniture industry, and also maintain the dynamism and vibrancy of the regional furniture design trade.
- The Furniture Design Platform (FDP) aims to be a springboard for up-and-coming designers in Singapore and the region to launch their new prototypes into the international marketplace, kick-start their design careers and attract potential manufacturers, and at the same time, create opportunities to exchange trendsetting ideas.
- The Furniture Design Forum (FDF) encourages the cultural exchange of ideas, inspiration, and entrepreneurship among designers in Asia and around the world, and has seen globally renowned guest speakers like Claudio Colucci, David Carlson and Tim Power sharing insights from their years of expertise.
What Lies Ahead
Singapore’s furniture industry started as small family-run businesses and expanded gradually over the years to major companies with offices and manufacturing plants all over the world. With consistent efforts being made to help promising young designers and also the implementation of industry programmes to help local furniture companies seek exposure and reach their full potential both locally and overseas, Singapore's furniture industry is set to soar to even greater heights.Information and images are courtesy of the Singapore Furniture Industries Council.
