The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Siemens have signed an agreement to boost innovation and support digital transformation in smart and sustainable manufacturing for businesses in Singapore and the ASEAN region.
The duo said in a statement on Friday that the collaboration aims to address key challenges by facilitating faster access to industrial artificial intelligence (AI) and automation expertise, and developing sustainable manufacturing processes that meet international standards.
This partnership will also help companies expanding into the region become more flexible, strong, and competitive in the global market.
As part of the deal, Siemens will be the first technology partner for ASTAR’s Smart and Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SSAM) Catalyst. This is an innovation space located at the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC) of ASTAR.
At this innovation sandbox, Siemens will showcase a full range of technologies, including automation, electrification, industrial software, and AI. These tools cover every stage of a product’s life—from design and engineering to manufacturing and operations.
These solutions connect the digital and physical worlds, helping companies speed up innovation, work more efficiently, and build strong, future-ready operations for the next generation of manufacturing.
A*STAR ARTC aims to create a vibrant innovation space by bringing together technology companies, such as Siemens, system integrators, and businesses to collaborate on real-world solutions.
Utilizing its research strengths and advanced technologies—such as next-generation manufacturing processes, smart systems, sustainability tools, precision imaging, and autonomous machines—ARTC enables companies to upgrade their operations and adopt modern manufacturing methods, thereby staying ahead.
The SSAM Catalyst shows how digital tools, automation, and AI can work together with A*STAR’s technologies. Companies can test these solutions to quickly develop new ideas that meet the needs of specific industries like aerospace, consumer goods, biomedical, and semiconductor equipment manufacturing.
The ASTAR Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy, and Environment (ASTAR ISCE²) and Siemens are collaborating on research projects to explore how industrial automation and digital tools can contribute to reducing carbon emissions in the chemicals and energy industries.
They are also showing how Siemens’ Digital Twin technology can help chemical engineers. This technology lets engineers simulate and improve chemical processes and design production plants.
Using a Digital Twin can help companies handle the complex design of plants and speed up the building process.
This partnership between A*STAR and Siemens demonstrate strong collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive advanced manufacturing in the region.
By focusing on innovation, sustainability and industry needs, this collaboration aims to establish Singapore as a hub for scalable solutions that can benefit ASEAN countries and beyond.
“Our partnership with A*STAR reflects Siemens’ deep commitment to shaping the future of manufacturing in ASEAN,
“By combining Industrial AI, digital twin technology, and intelligent automation, we are enabling companies to transform at speed and scale—toward greater resilience, sustainability, and global competitiveness,” said Thai-Lai Pham, President and Chief Executive Officer of Siemens ASEAN.
Prof. Lim Keng Hui, Assistant Chief Executive, Science and Engineering Research Council, A*STAR, said that, together with Siemens, they are developing solutions to accelerate digital transformation and support decarbonization efforts across the region.
“This represents A*STAR’s continued commitment to translational research, bridging the gap between frontier research and real-world applications with industry partners,
“This multi-faceted collaboration looks to strengthen Singapore’s position as a regional hub for smart and sustainable manufacturing in ASEAN,” he added.
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