Member Article

Sheffield Forgemasters embark on Singapore venture

Sheffield Forgemasters International Limited (SFIL) have opened the firms new venture in Singapore.

Sheffield Forgemasters Singapore Pte Ltd will operate from the International Business Park located between the Central Business District and the offshore and marine fabricators situated in Jurong.

As a recognised international trade centre for the Asia Pacific region, Singapore was considered by SFIL as an ideal location to support ongoing efforts to further expand and diversify its manufacturing and engineering contribution to the offshore oil and gas sector.

Initially the new venture will deliver support to existing customers in Singapore and neighbouring Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, providing a link to manufacturing capabilities in Sheffield and, importantly, offering expert technical advice, design and engineering consultancy to support new projects in South East Asia.

Dr Graham Honeyman, chief executive of Sheffield Forgemasters International, said: “Asia-Pacific is the world’s fastest growing region for business and Singapore is considered to be an ideal hub for foreign investments into growing Asian economies such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, The Phillipines and China.

“Our presence in Singapore, along with our offices in Europe and the US, will enable us to deliver integrated advice, products and services directly to clients across Asia and further afield into Australasia.

“This will improve our coverage of these increasingly demanding markets, giving us the opportunity to work even closer with our key clients here.”

Singaporean Clive Pour becomes business development director and will drive the venture finding new ways for Singapore Pte Ltd to contribute to the burgeoning expansion of oil and gas opportunities in the region.

Former SFIL apprentice Daviyd Franckeiss will join Clive as manufacturing engineer providing an in-depth knowledge of the Sheffield operation during the start-up period.

The launch event at Raffles on March 20 was attended by VIP guests representing important SFIL clients in Singapore including Saipem, Sumitomo, Outokumpu and Premier Hytemp.

SFIL representatives included keynote speaker and chief executive Dr Honeyman, chief financial officer Neil Maskrey; Vulcan SFM managing director Ian Nicholls, Vulcan SFM design director Paul Mockford and the managing director of the forgings division, Gareth Barker.

The British Chamber of Commerce Singapore supported Forgemasters with its launch through its Overseas Business Network Initiative which offers help for companies wishing to do business in Singapore.

Brigitte Holtschneider, executive director at the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, said: “It was a pleasure to be instrumental to launching the presence of such a well-respected and innovative British company in Singapore.

“Recognising the importance of a locally established business network, Sheffield Forgemasters has joined the chamber. We are delighted to welcome them in our network and wish them every success in Singapore and the wider Asian markets.”

SFIL is the largest independently owned forgemaster in the world.

It specialises in casting and forgings across a range of high technology markets including offshore oil and gas; power generation for nuclear, gas and hydro technologies; defence as a strategic supplier to Rolls Royce and BAE Systems submarine programme and steel processing.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .