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The Business Times

SMa to be renamed SMF from Sept 20

Change is to highlight widening scope as group aims to represent not just manufacturers but service providers too

(Singapore)

TO better reflect how Singapore's manufacturing landscape has evolved beyond merely factories, the main industry grouping representing manufacturing here will be changing its name.

From Sept 20, the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMa) will be known as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), SMa president George Huang announced at the industry group's annual Chinese New Year celebrations yesterday.

The change, unanimously voted for by members, is not merely cosmetic. Mr Huang stressed that is to highlight SMa's widening scope as it aims to represent not just manufacturers, but services providers who are vital to Singapore's manufacturing engine.

These include design, engineering and third-party logistics services providers, whom SMa says 'must be embraced as part of the manufacturing community, especially in light of encouraging innovation and improving companies' productivity'.

Some of these are already members. SMa's vice-president Poh Choon Ann, for instance, is chairman and CEO of Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Ltd whose customers are mainly in the chemicals cluster and include large MNCs such as ExxonMobil.

Mr Poh thinks that SMa's move to lead non-manufacturers who have a stake in Singapore's manufacturing sector will strengthen its ability to be the voice of Singapore manufacturing.

Mr Huang says this change goes beyond raising memberships; it is about becoming 'more inclusive' with an eye on the longer term. Singapore has to 'move in the direction of not just physically producing the goods, but selling the goods', he told reporters after the event.

Speaking to more than 500 members and associates earlier, Mr Huang cited companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Nike as those which are 'involved in and stimulate manufacturing' without owning or operating factories directly, due to the rise of original equipment manufacturers.

Referring to British research firm The Work Foundation's recent report on the new future of manufacturing, Mr Huang said that future growth will come from 'manu-services', a combination of advanced production and complementary services.

'Singapore companies are already moving in that direction and we are anticipating that change,' he said.

In the nearer term, the manufacturing sector's outlook remains uncertain, given the challenging global economic environment. 'The picture is not clear,' said Mr Huang. Different clusters are affected to varying extents in a downturn, he said, citing how manufacturing turned in a better than expected performance in December thanks to a surge in pharmaceutical output.

SMa, which has 2,800 corporate members, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

HAPPY OCCASION President Tony Tan Keng Yam with (from left) SMa vice-president Poh Choon Ann, Singapore Business Federation chairman Tony Chew, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, SMa president George Huang, SMa deputy president Moh Chong Tau, Chinese Ambassador Wei Wei, SMa honorary secretary Patrick Chang (partially seen) and SMa vice-president Simon Li at the SMa's Chinese New Year celebrations yesterday

Teh Shi Ning