Reflecting the robust recovery of its aerospace industry, the Singapore pavilion, organized by the Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore (AAIS), will showcase at least 27 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at this year’s airshow—more than double the SME exhibitor count from 2022.
Founded in 2003 as a non-profit, AAIS aims to advance the island nation as a premier aerospace hub, representing companies in aviation, aerospace, and unmanned aircraft systems, spanning MRO, manufacturing, parts distribution, research and development, training, education, and aftermarket services.
With over half of the participants making their debut, the pavilion ensures cost-effective options for SMEs by offering a range of spaces, including 4-square-meter kiosks, said AAIS Chief Executive Sia Kheng Yok. The static displays will showcase innovations in emerging domains such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.
“As the host country of Asia’s most influential international aerospace and defense exhibition, the Singapore Pavilion provides a platform, empowering SME businesses to garner visibility among major industry players,” Sia told AIN. “SMEs of the Singapore Pavilion will showcase a diverse array of capabilities and solutions for airport and ground support equipment, MRO value-chain services, engineering and development, logistics, parts, materials, and others.”
Special Processes and Surface Finishing
As visitors explore the pavilion, they will encounter three distinct themes. The Special Processes and Surface Finishing section includes exhibitors specializing in essential surface treatment processes for OEM and MRO parts. Participants include leading metal surface finisher ACP Metal Finishing (Booth A-B06).
Established in 1981 and recognized as a certified repair station by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the FAA, and EASA, ACP employs advanced technologies such as robotic masking developed in collaboration with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR).
The company caters to various industries and counts numerous aerospace OEM and MRO companies as customers, such as Boeing, Collins, Eaton, GE, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, Thales, and SIA Engineering.
Additional companies under the special processes banner include newcomer Tyrida International, which specializes in laser shock peening technology, and first-time exhibitors GT Industrial (Booth A-A11) and Sterling Impreglon Asia (Booth A-A07).
Innovation and Technology
No stranger to innovation, Singapore will be showcasing several R&D players, including Hope Technik (Booth A-C14).
Established in 2006, the company specializes in developing technologies to reduce human error, enhance defect visibility, and optimize MRO processes, with an emphasis on providing engineering system integrators for robotics and automation in aerospace, MRO, and other key industries.
Hope Technik’s portfolio includes an autonomous engine inspection robot designed to carry out precise and efficient inspections of aircraft engines. Its seat track inspection robot streamlines labor-intensive manual inspection procedures to reduce time and enhance accuracy.
For the defense sector, the company produces the omnidirectional weapons loader (OWL). Designed to boost airbase productivity, the OWL can hold up to 1.3 tonnes and maintains stability while adjusting the payload to the desired angle.
Established in 2008, first-time exhibitor iCredo Technologies (booth A-B08) provides counter unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) designed for complex civil and urban environments. It develops technologies based on the concept of operations from conventional electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures or modified from existing EW systems to align with CUAS applications.
Speaking to AIN, chief executive officer Chew Siou, who also serves as the firm’s chief technology officer, emphasized that both range and jamming distance ratio are equally important.
“In any jamming, radio frequency power is essential, but waveform is critical,” he added.
“The core technology is the state-of-the-art low power waveform transmission used for 24/7 persistent jamming. These solutions reduce collateral damage yet are highly effective,” he said, noting the firm had recently partnered with drone detection companies to offer customers “complete CUAS solutions.”
Sustainability and Green Aviation
Aligned with its goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Singapore will also feature a lineup of “green” companies, including CW Aero (Booth A-B11)—a specialist in airport systems, ground support equipment, tooling, and engineering and test systems.
According to the company, its ground power and cooling systems cool aircraft, including the A380, allowing for APU shutdown, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. CW Aero also markets airside vehicle electrification and digital offerings like real-time telematics for motorized and non-motorized assets along with Lidar sensor-based controls for aircraft tugs.
CW Aero boasts a client roster that includes prominent names such as Changi Airport, A*STAR, Boeing, Bombardier, Dnata, SIA Engineering, and ST Engineering Aerospace.
Separately, first-time exhibitor Nandina Remanufacturing will showcase its expertise in advanced engineering materials reprocessing and composites recovery. Its materials can contribute a 90 percent reduction in the final product’s greenhouse gas emission intensity.
“We are on a mission to reclaim the hundreds of tonnes of valuable materials from end-of-life aircraft retired across the globe,” company CEO Karina Cady told AIN. “We reprocess these resources through innovative technologies to create new ultra-low emission, high-quality metal alloys, and carbon fiber that can be used by manufacturers in products as diverse as electric vehicle battery casings to aircraft cabin galleys and seats.
“Every cabin seat and every turbine blade that we reclaim and reprocess helps us get one step closer to averting the climate crisis and protecting our planet for future generations.”
Recognized by the world’s largest trading houses such as Sumitomo and Itochu, Nandina also offers data and analytics to tier 1 to tier 5 suppliers and assists in securing financing to support emission reduction efforts. In collaboration with the A*Star Advanced Remanufacturing Technology Center, its AI-enabled platform ensures government compliance by providing material traceability to accurately measure the carbon footprint of every end product.
“Empowering businesses with the accurate data they need to reduce emissions, our insights provide tangible evidence of decarbonization achievements, which is key for meeting regulatory requirements and securing new climate finance opportunities in manufacturing supply chains,” concluded Cady.
Event Lineup
Along with showcasing the talent and capabilities of Singapore, AAIS, in partnership with the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CSAA) and Experia, plans to host a forum on February 22 to discuss technological innovations as well as opportunities for international cooperation. The event will bring together industry leaders representing companies from both China and Singapore and will feature two panels titled Technological Innovations and International Cooperation in Aviation and Development of the Aerospace MRO and Manufacturing Industry.
In the lead-up to the air show, AAIS hosted a seminar titled Unlock Aerospace Procurement Wins: Strategies for Suppliers on January 25, featuring ArcBlue director Chris Hampden and Amy Lees, senior consultant for Shipley Asia Pacific.
“Everyone is looking forward to the buzz at Singapore Airshow 2024, a testament to the resilience and dynamism of our aerospace ecosystem,” said Sia. “We welcome visitors to explore the diverse capabilities of the Singapore aviation and aerospace industries and look forward to fruitful engagements for our exhibitors, members, and the entire aerospace community.”
Aerospace Recovery
This year's airshow not only places Singapore's aerospace prowess in the spotlight but also reaffirms its position as an industry leader in Southeast Asia and across the world.
In terms of recovery, AAIS reported a cumulative growth of 17.1 percent for Singapore's aerospace industry from January to November 2023. It attributes the increase to a surge in demand for aircraft parts and MRO jobs from commercial airlines, fueled by robust global air travel demand.
As the largest engine MRO industrial base in APAC, Singapore accounts for 10 percent of the worldwide MRO output and boasts a 15 percent market share in global aerospace engine MRO. Consisting of 130 players, Singapore’s sector contributed to about $9.8 billion to the nation’s economy in 2022.