Singapore’s leading public R&D body, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with German industrial giant Siemens on Friday (July 4) to jointly advance smart and sustainable manufacturing technologies for businesses in Singapore and the wider ASEAN region.
This partnership aims to tackle major industrial challenges by accelerating access to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation capabilities, while fostering manufacturing practices that comply with global sustainability benchmarks.
At the heart of this initiative is the Smart and Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SSAM) Catalyst—an innovation testbed located at A*Star’s Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC). Siemens becomes the first tech firm to participate in the SSAM Catalyst, offering a suite of solutions in automation, electrification, industrial software, and AI.
These solutions cover the full product lifecycle—from design and engineering to production and operations—giving manufacturers a space to test and fine-tune innovations across industries like aerospace, consumer goods, biomedical, and semiconductor equipment manufacturing.
ARTC is building a collaborative innovation ecosystem that brings together technology developers, integrators, and end-users to co-create real-world solutions. Its core expertise includes manufacturing process optimization, smart factory technologies, sustainability analytics, precision imaging, and autonomous systems—helping firms adapt to evolving industrial demands.
Driving Sustainable Manufacturing Forward
In addition to the SSAM Catalyst, A*Star’s Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment is partnering with Siemens on R&D projects that target decarbonisation in the chemicals and energy industries.
One area of focus is Siemens’ Digital Twin technology, which enables chemical engineers to model, simulate, and optimise production processes and plant designs. This innovation is expected to help streamline the integration of engineering and operational workflows, reduce design complexity, and shorten plant construction timelines.
“With Siemens, we’re creating solutions that will accelerate digital transformation and promote decarbonisation efforts throughout the region,” said Professor Lim Keng Hui, assistant chief executive of A*Star’s Science and Engineering Research Council. “This broad-based collaboration supports Singapore’s role as a regional leader in smart and sustainable manufacturing.
