Rohde & Schwarz strengthens presence in Asia
May 1, 2014. Rohde & Schwarz has inaugurated its new building, “Das Spektrum,” in the Changi Business Park in Singapore. The SGD 58 million investment (around EUR 33 million) underscores the location's strategic significance for the German electronics company. This Rohde & Schwarz global hub is a platform for research, development, production, global sourcing, and supply-chain management in areas of test and measurement, broadcasting, secure communications, and radiomonitoring and radiolocation while helping to skill up Singapore as a talent pipeline for high technology engineering careers.
Presided by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Lim Hng Kiang, and Germany’s Ambassador to Singapore, Angelika Viets, Lim officially opened the 12,747 square meter facility in the presence of VIP guests from the Economic Development Board, JTC Corporation, and customers.
In the coming years, Rohde & Schwarz plans to further invest in Singapore. The opening of the new office complex is yet another milestone in the company’s 80-year history.
Rohde & Schwarz president and CEO Manfred Fleischmann stated, “Asia is an enormous growth market. The mobile communications business alone holds immense potential. The expansion of the global hub in Singapore is a clear mark of our commitment to the location which is also beneficial for our clients since proximity to our customers is a key Rohde & Schwarz success factor.”
Singapore is home to two entities for Rohde & Schwarz: Rohde & Schwarz Asia and Regional Headquarters Asia. Rohde & Schwarz Asia functions as a global hub for research, development, production, global sourcing, and supply-chain management, covering the entire value added chain for its regional business partners. Regional Headquarters Asia coordinates business activities such as IT, marketing and business development in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa.
Rohde & Schwarz Asia was launched 17 years ago with seven company employees. The new building will house some 350 employees. The Munich-based electronics company plans to hire additional employees in the next three years to support the enormous growth in the region.
The Singapore site therefore is important for Rohde & Schwarz from a human resources standpoint. Rohde & Schwarz Asia Managing Director Lim Boon Huat says, “We want to attract the best minds to our company worldwide, and that includes the Singapore talent pool. This is why we closely co-operate with local universities.”
“The company also enjoys a long-standing cooperation with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), which promotes the country's economy and labor market. Rohde & Schwarz has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government authorities to offer internships and study opportunities to Asian graduates,” Lim said.
Chang Chin Nam, Executive Director, EDB, said, “Rohde & Schwarz adds to the growing community of mid-sized German companies based in Singapore, also known as the German Mittelstand Champions. They are recognized as global leaders in niche market segments and highly innovative companies with a deep dedication to quality. The presence of Rohde Schwarz’s global business hub further strengthens Singapore's position as a complex equipment hub in Asia. We are encouraged by Rohde & Schwarz’s long term view and commitment to develop engineering and management talent in Singapore to achieve success in Asia.”
R&S Immobilienmanagement GmbH, a Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary, is the project manager for the new seven-floor office building designed by Forum Architects Pte Ltd (Singapore). The building’s name, “Das Spektrum,” which translates to “the spectrum,” is a nod to Rohde & Schwarz’s expertise in delivering technological innovations related to electromagnetic spectrum. “Das Spektrum” also signifies a forward-looking vision for Rohde & Schwarz in Singapore to become an enabler for a spectrum of innovative products and business opportunities in Asia and the rest of the world.
“Das Spektrum” will enrich the landscape of the Changi Business Park. Png Cheong Boon, CEO of JTC Corporation, the principal developer and manager of industrial estates, said, “The opening of Rohde & Schwarz’s first global business hub outside Germany further adds to the vibrancy in the Changi Business Park, which is home to high-technology and R&D companies.”