Head in capability development

Helping local companies upgrade their technology capability is only one aim of the Centres of Innovation set up by Spring Singapore.

Another is capability development, said Dr John Yong, director of the Precision Engineering Centre of Innovation at the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology.

"Envichem Technologies is an example of capability development. There wasn't this capability before. Mr Chang Jen Heng, 71, who has almost 40 years of experience working in the chemical and electroplating industry, found the problem and worked to find a solution. Now we're better for it," said Dr Yong.

His centre is one of six such centres Spring has set up to help small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to technology services. In the last six years, it has carried out more than 500 projects and provided consultancy to more than 200 companies.

The other centres are:

• The Supply Chain Management Centre of Innovation at Republic Polytechnic.
• The Marine and Offshore Technology Centre of Innovation at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
• The Food Innovation and Resource Centre at Singapore Polytechnic.
• Electronics Centre of Innovation at Nanyang Polytechnic.
• Environmental and Water Technology Centre of Innovation, Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The centres will hold exhibitions at Tech-Innovation 2013, a technology conference and exhibition, at Suntec Convention Centre.

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