Manufacturing is a key driver of the Singapore economy, contributing to 21 percent of the country’s GDP and employing over 12 percent of the population5. The sector remained an economic stronghold despite the COVID-19 pandemic, growing by over 7 percent across the year, reaching 10 percent year-on-year growth in the last quarter of 20206.
This is in part thanks to how robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, smart sensor and the Internet of Things are transforming the manufacturing sector. This shift to advanced manufacturing, known as Industry 4.0, is a burgeoning market expected to reach US$156.6 billion by 2024, growing at a rate of 16.9 percent a year7.
The speed at which these technologies are permeating the manufacturing industry has made it essential for businesses to be equipped to transform, whether by developing and adopting new technology, or staying abreast of the best practices and latest trends. To achieve this, it is important for events organisers and businesses alike to be positioned in a place where Industry 4.0 thought leaders gather, where factories of the future abound, and where the latest technology in advanced manufacturing are both developed and in use.
With its thriving advanced manufacturing eco-system comprising smart factories, manufacturing centers of excellence, and huge industrial players like STMicroelectronics, Micron and Merck, Singapore offers a vibrant platform for industry professionals to learn, network and grow.
Between 2014 to 2018, a full S$500 million8 was invested to support advanced manufacturing initiatives and the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) developed to support firms in adopting new technology.
The marketplace has expanded in tandem. Now, Illumina’s manufacturing facilities in Singapore produce 95 percent of global demand for microarrays, and 85 percent of global core sequencing consumables9. Dyson has also set up a S$578 million R&D facility in Singapore, aimed at implementing new Advanced Manufacturing tech across its regional facilities10.
Despite Singapore's small size, our semiconductor industry accounts for 20 percent of the world’s output11. Industries like medical technology, marine and aerospace, also rely on over 2,700 precision engineering firms from Singapore for products and services12.
This dynamism is only fuelled by an abundance of collaborations between local players and multinational corporations. Examples of this can be found at Jurong Innovation District, an advanced manufacturing hub which brings together a collection of institutes of higher learning, R&D centres, technology providers and factories of the future, or even the Planetspark Innovation Centre at Changi, which caters specifically to nurturing hardware tech startups and SMEs13.
As businesses benefit from being able to tap on the each other’s respective expertise for co-innovation, event organisers gain from finding not just an eager audience keen on how advanced tech can drive competitive advantage, but also examples of solutions developed and stories that can inspire others to do the same.
They may even consider bringing these case studies to life with the small engagement tours to different businesses, or leveraging on tech to allow participants to visit a 3D smart factory14. As participants try their hands at some of the latest advanced manufacturing technologies, they walk away with a unique experience, sparking ideas and conversations to take back home.
The presence of technology and solutions providers and manufacturing giants in Singapore also means organisers holding an event in the country can gain access to the leaders of these companies – people with insights not just on the latest technology being developed, but also on how to drive the innovation.
Events rooted in key verticals like digital factory, urban digitalisation, industrial robotics, automation, big data analysis and augmented reality are high in demand, and to date, there have been exhibitions showcasing the use AI and robotics in the sector, as well as demonstrations from companies like Siemens on how businesses can successfully implement digitalisation to reach their goals15.
There have also been conferences on topics like additive manufacturing as leaders from the industry have come together to discuss how to forge ahead with Advanced Manufacturing in light of the new normal.
So whether it’s a marketplace to showcase the latest developments in the sector, or a conference on the best practices and solutions, event organisers can be guaranteed that interest in the country is high, and the options for panellists, speakers and exhibitors, aplenty.
Singapore has hosted a number of international advanced manufacturing events and is well equipped with the expertise and experience to support yours. Here are some of the recent ones:
The ITAP showcases actionable Advanced Manufacturing solutions that can inspire and deepen the understanding of professionals from the manufacturing industry, as well as help businesses at varying stages of technology adoption to start, scale and sustain their Advanced Manufacturing transformation journey.
Organised by National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and co-located with ITAP. The summit addresses the latest developments in material innovation and its impact on 3D printing serial production. An ideal platform for additive manufacturing leaders to gain insights on the latest developments around sustainability, industrial and consumer applications.
A trade conference, organised by SEMI a global industry association that unites the entire electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, that brings business leaders and technology experts together to discuss the latest advances in connecting, sensing and predicting for semiconductor manufacturing.
2 https://www.weforum.org/publications/how-to-end-a-decade-of-lost-productivity-growth/
3 https://file.go.gov.sg/rie-2025-handbook.pdf
4 https://file.go.gov.sg/rie-2025-handbook.pdf
8 https://ca-lab.isca.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/isca-february-2023-1.pdf
10 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/business-insights/insights/singapore-a-leading-manufacturing-hub.html
11 https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/singapore-manufacturing
12 https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/singapore-manufacturing
15 https://www.siemens.com/sg/en/company/fairs-events/itap.html