Page 32 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2013 Online Magazine
P. 32

FeATure poWerpLAnTs






        Power Plants




        Most of the big names in propulsion have either set up shop, or established joint
        ventures in Asia. How are they doing? By Jeremy Torr



                                                                                   This Regional Training Centre (RTC)
                                                                                is the first such training facility for
                                                                                Rolls-Royce in Asia. Its purpose is to
                                                                                develop high-value skills and nurture
                                                                                talent for the future. “This … facility gives
                                                                                Rolls-Royce additional capacity, … and
                                                                                importantly, also marks an important
                                                                                new phase of our relationship with
                                                                                Singapore,” said Mike Terrett, Chief
                                                                                Operating Officer, Rolls-Royce plc,
                                            roLLs-royce hAs seT up in singApore.   speaking at the facility opening.
                                            Pratt & Whitney services out of Shanghai.   Singapore’s government  obviously
                                            CFM is already in India and Snecma/GE   agrees that MRO offers a big opportunity
                                            have  a  successful  joint  venture  with  Air   for the region’s prosperity. Leo Yip,
                                            China running successfully out of Chengdu   Chairman of Singapore’s Economic
                                            in China. The question remains: will we see   Development Board (EDB), noted that
                                            complete supply/service/retire services   high-tech engineering offers significant
                                            for Asian-built and serviced power plants?   opportunities to the region – both for
                                               It may not be that long before that   local and overseas customers looking
                                            happens. Rolls-Royce last year established   for access to world-class facilities, with
                                            a manufacturing capability at the Seletar   internationally  accredited  qualification
                                            Campus in Singapore, as well as the Trent   and certification.
                                            Centre of Excellence for engine repair   “Manufacturing is fast emerging
                                            and overhaul. The company is obviously   as a key engine of growth for our
                                            committed to Asian manufacturing, and   aerospace  industry,”  said  Yip.  “We
                                            is the first in the region to make such a   will continue to partner with industry
                                            significant move into the production as   leaders such as Rolls-Royce to
                                            well as MRO space.                  build  sophisticated  manufacturing
                                               “Rolls-Royce continuously invests in   capabilities in Singapore.”
                                            technology and infrastructure to expand   According to Terret, the new facility,
                                            the scale and efficiency of the services   which  will  create  over  500  new  jobs
                                            we deliver to our growing customer   and bring the number of Rolls-Royce
                                            base,” notes Eric Schulz, Rolls-Royce,   employees in Singapore to over 2,000,
                                            President - Civil Large Engines. He went   is the first time Rolls-Royce has set
                                            on to add that Rolls-Royce was committed   up outside its traditional UK facilities
                                            to “further develop an integrated and   to produce wide chord fan blades and
                                            embedded service capability in Asia to   assemble and test large commercial
                                            better meet customer requirements   jet engines. “The Rolls-Royce Seletar
                                            in the region.” As such the company is   Campus brings together state of the art
        LEFT AND OPPOSITE TOP:              working  closely  with  educational  and   technologies,  advanced  manufacturing
        The Rolls-Royce Seletar             training establishments in Singapore, and   techniques and  highly skilled people to
        Campus in Singapore has             has invested some S$700 million in an   produce some of the most advanced aero
        seen some impressive
        action, including a visit from      assembly and test unit; a wide chord fan   engines  in  the  world,”  he  asserts.  Not
        British royals                      blade manufacturing facility; an advanced   bad for a country that was still unloading
        ABOVE RIGHT: The Pratt &            technology centre and most important of   rice from wooden boats just a half-
        Whitney facility in Singapore       all, a regional training centre.    century ago.
        32   ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS  JULY / AUGUST 2013                      WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
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