At a ceremony today, Economic Development Board Chairman Lim Siong Guan, Applied
Materials executives, and U.S. Ambassador Patricia Herbold broke ground
for the construction of a new Singapore operations facility that will serve
as a hub for Applied's business activities throughout Asia. The 32,000 square
meter facility in the Changi North Industrial Park is expected to be completed
in late 2009 and will be designed to meet some of the highest green building
standards in the world. Applied also announced an innovative education initiative
at the event.
“Sitting at a virtual crossroads between India and China, Singapore has
proven to be a friendly and great place to do business with its strong transportation
and logistics network, extensive supplier base and talented workforce,”
said Mike Splinter, president and CEO of Applied Materials. “Our state-of-the-art
campus will showcase our commitment to the environment while bringing enhanced
capabilities closer to our customers throughout Asia.”
The Operations Center will be a base for global purchasing, sales, manufacturing,
engineering and financial groups to support the Asia region chip industry and
the rapidly growing solar markets in India and China. New operations will help
achieve reductions in material cost and cycle time while expanding Applied’s
merge-in-transit and global supply chain capabilities. Employees will also continue
to support Singapore’s strong chip manufacturing industry. The facility
is designed to standards aimed at earning BCA Green Mark Platinum certification,
the highest environmental rating for a building in Singapore. Current plans
include an installation of what will likely be the largest commercial solar
array deployed in Singapore, low-e glass curtain walls, LED and fluorescent
lighting, an energy efficient air conditioning system and a sophisticated water
treatment and rainwater capture system. The site will also incorporate extensive
native landscaping. Applied has served customers from locations in Singapore
for 17 years and currently has approximately 400 employees in the country.
"Applied Materials is an industry leader in complex nanomanufacturing
technology,” said Mr. Lim Siong Guan, Chairman of the Singapore Economic
Development Board. “We are pleased that Singapore has been chosen as its
world-class complex equipment manufacturing hub for its Asia Operations Center."
As part of its global commitment to education and improving communities where
it does business, Applied also announced its sponsorship of the Environment
Education Hub at the Marsiling Secondary School. Through its sponsorship, Applied
will help create a secondary school platform for teaching and learning about
environmental issues concerning energy and water.