Siemens Water Technologies, a world leader in products, systems, and services for water and wastewater treatment, today announced that it is planning to set up a S$50 million global water R&D and engineering centre in Singapore over the next 5 years.
The new R & D and engineering centre, which will employ 60 local and foreign water researchers and professionals over the next 5 years in water and used water technologies, is key to Siemens’ plans to expand its Singapore location into a competence centre for water and used water technologies in the Asia-Pacific region. Siemens Water Technologies also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, to collaborate on water R & D projects. Under the MOU, the two water organisations will jointly work on exploring innovative solutions to meet technological needs through R&D activities, test bedding and early adoption of new technologies. For a start, Siemens Water Technologies will work with PUB on three R&D projects, mainly in the areas of water and used water treatment.
The Singapore government has identified water and environment technologies as one of the three key growth sectors and will invest S$330 million over the next five years to develop the industry. The Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) was set up earlier this year to spearhead the growth of the water and environment industry in Singapore. An inter-agency organisation under the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, EWI comprises key agencies such as PUB and EDB.
It aims to promote Singapore as a global R & D base for water technologies by growing the local companies, attracting more companies to locate their operations in Singapore, encouraging more companies and research institutes to develop cutting-edge water technology and exporting Singapore's expertise overseas.
