Makino Asia Marks 50 Years of Innovating in Singapore for Asia and the World

Makino Asia Pte Ltd, a leading provider of machine tools, today commemorated 50 years of its presence in Singapore, where it serves as the Asia-Pacific headquarters.Achieving the milestone of S$1 billion in annual revenue last year, the Asia-Pacific business currently
contributes more than 40% to the group’s consolidated revenues.

At its Jubilee Celebration earlier today, Makino Asia unveiled its latest state-of-the-art innovation, the S50 Vertical Machining Centre (VMC), designed to optimise production efficiency and provide consistent quality for precision metal-cutting in the aerospace, medical, automotive and semiconductor
industries.

Makino Asia’s S$75M International Research and Development (IRD) Centre here, stands as the only one of its kind outside Japan. The facility spearheads the design and development of industry-leading machine tools for fast-evolving industries, including New Energy Vehicles (NEV). These Singaporedesigned and made machines are currently being used by customers in over 40 countries across the
world.

In 2019, Makino Asia launched its advanced machining factory in Singapore as a model machining factory incorporating state-of-the-art automation technologies that continue to rival other technologically-advanced countries like Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. The advanced machining factory continues to play a pivotal role in the innovation and implementation of new solutions, achieving a 60% increased output per employee by streamlining processes and automating repetitive tasks.

Makino Asia continues towards innovation and operational excellence. With its proprietary Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) system being fully digitalised, it ensures end-to-end traceability and seamless inter-process information-sharing, empowering informed decisions and a swift resolution to operational challenges. This digitalisation and automation of manufacturing processes
enables advanced data analytics and drives holistic efficiency improvements beyond individual optimisation. In addition, Makino Asia is also actively exploring opportunities to invest in Additive Manufacturing, recognising its potential to complement conventional subtractive processes andrevolutionise the future of manufacturing.

Its employees currently stand at 1,700 across Singapore, China, India, ASEAN and Europe of which more than 500 are based here, at its Singapore regional headquarters. In attracting and retaining global talent Makino Asia has been able to foster diversity, bringing varied perspectives and expertise to theorganisation to further entrench the country’s position as a global hub for advanced manufacturing. It
partners with various government agencies and actively collaborates with educational institutions such as ITE, Polytechnics, Universities and industry players on both local and global levels, in support of nurturing and developing a robust talent pool.

“Makino Asia will continue to design advanced technology products with high performance and reliability for the manufacturing needs of the future. Empowering our customers to reach their maximum potential has always been the foundation of our success, and it will continue to be our driving force. Today, we have 13 technology centres across the Asia-Pacific and we are also exploring and investing in Additive
Manufacturing to complement conventional machine tools and product development,” said Neo Eng Chong, CEO and President, Makino Asia Pte Ltd.

“In pursuing our responsibility towards the environment, we currently have application technologies for our customers to reduce energy consumption through using their machine tools more efficiently. In the decades to come, we will make a concerted effort towards pursuing environmental sustainability in all Makino Asia products.”

The company is cognisant of its responsibility towards environmental sustainability and strives to ensure sustainable production while designing machines optimised for specific materials. In Singapore, its advanced machining factory uses chilled water to regulate temperatures, leading to 25% reduction in power consumption, while its solar panels provide 20% of the electricity consumed, reducing overall carbon footprint.

“Makino has been a long-standing partner of Singapore in advancing our ambition as a global manufacturing hub and supporting talent development efforts in the sector. Over the last 50 years, Makino has not only grown its manufacturing footprint in Singapore, but also expanded its local capabilities across headquarters and R&D functions. Makino’s significant presence here has enriched our manufacturing ecosystem and supported the growth of other companies in the aerospace, medtech, semiconductor and automotive industries. Its strong focus on environmental sustainability is also commendable and will serve its operations well in the long term,” said Mr. Lionel Lim, Vice President& Head, Technology Hardware & Equipment, Singapore Economic Development Board.