German semiconductor Infineon is investing €70 million (S$105 million) over five years from 2017 to transform its existing production site in Singapore into a smart factory and raise manufacturing productivity. Under the Smart Enterprise Programme, Infineon will incorporate elements such as robotics, automation, real-time global production network and end-to-end digital integration.
This makes Singapore a vital node in Infineon’s Global Production Network, which will empower the company to have real-time visibility and control over multiple manufacturing sites globally. Having operated here for over 45 years, Singapore was a natural choice to be the pilot site to capitalize on a strong foundation and cross-functional competence to tackle the challenges of smart manufacturing implementation.
Not only does Singapore serve as Infineon’s global test innovation and manufacturing site, it is also home to Infineon’s regional headquarters for Asia Pacific (excluding Japan). Many key functions, including R&D, supply chain, regional sales, marketing and shared services, are managed here.
The Design Centre in Singapore is Infineon’s key R&D hub for the conceptualisation, design, test, application and system development of Integrated Circuits. Almost 400 people work on diverse areas -- from microcontrollers to power management devices, authentication devices, as well as analog and mixed-signal modules. The centre is also exploring energy-efficient solutions for automotive and industrial applications.
Beyond manufacturing and R&D, Infineon taps Singapore’s strengths as a regional logistics hub to manage its supply chain here. Infineon manages about 50% of global revenue out of its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.
