SINGAPORE: At a ceremony, Economic Development Board (EDB) Chairman Lim Siong Guan, Applied Materials executives, and US Ambassador Patricia Herbold broke ground for the construction of a new Singapore operations facility that will serve as a hub for Applied’s business activities throughout Asia.

The 32,000sqm facility in the Changi North Industrial Park is expected to be completed in late 2009 and will be designed to meet some of the highest green building standards in the world. Applied also announced an innovative education initiative at the event.

“Sitting at a virtual crossroads between India and China, Singapore has proven to be a friendly and great place to do business with its strong transportation and logistics network, extensive supplier base and talented workforce,” said Mike Splinter, president and CEO of Applied Materials. “Our state-of-the-art campus will showcase our commitment to the environment while bringing enhanced capabilities closer to our customers throughout Asia.”

The Operations Center will be a base for global purchasing, sales, manufacturing, engineering and financial groups to support the Asia region chip industry, and the rapidly growing solar markets in India and China. New operations will help achieve reductions in material cost and cycle time while expanding Applied’s merge-in-transit and global supply chain capabilities. Employees will also continue to support Singapore’s strong chip manufacturing industry.

The facility is designed to standards aimed at earning BCA Green Mark Platinum certification, the highest environmental rating for a building in Singapore. Current plans include an installation of what will likely be the largest commercial solar array deployed in Singapore, low-e glass curtain walls, LED and fluorescent lighting, an energy efficient air conditioning system and a sophisticated water treatment and rainwater capture system. The site will also incorporate extensive native landscaping. Applied has served customers from locations in Singapore for 17 years and currently has approximately 400 employees in the country.

"Applied Materials is an industry leader in complex nanomanufacturing technology,” said Lim Siong Guan, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “We are pleased that Singapore has been chosen as its world-class complex equipment manufacturing hub for its Asia Operations Center."

As part of its global commitment to education and improving communities where it does business, Applied also announced its sponsorship of the Environment Education Hub at the Marsiling Secondary School. Through its sponsorship, Applied will help create a secondary school platform for teaching and learning about environmental issues concerning energy and water.