Heritage

Rolls-Royce has had an office in Singapore since the 1950s and its importance continues to grow. From a handful of employees in the late 1980s, Rolls-Royce has grown to more than 1,400 staff active in all areas, including joint ventures.

In 1995 the national carrier chose the Trent 800 engine for its Boeing 777 aircraft, representing the largest order in Rolls-Royce history at the time. It has since used Rolls-Royce engines for its Airbus A340-500 fleet. Most recently, SIA elected to use the Trent 900 engine to power its fleet of Airbus A380s; Rolls-Royce has completed the first delivery of the plane, which has since entered commercial operation.

One facet of the company’s continuing and growing partnership with Singapore is represented by the signing of two joint venture agreements with Singapore Airlines Engineering Company. These cover aero engine component repair and maintenance and are both in full operation.

SAESL (Singapore Aero Engine Service Ltd.) is a tripartite venture between Rolls-Royce (UK), SIAEC (Singapore) and HAESL (Hong Kong). Incorporated in 1999 and operational by 2001, SAESL completed the production of its 500th engine in January 2007.

IECO (International Engine Component Overhaul) began operating in 1998 and offers advanced aero engine component repair services for Trent and RB211 engines. In 2009, IECO crossed the 1-million mark for components repaired.

In 1999, through the acquisition of Vickers, Rolls-Royce established a marine office in Singapore. 10 years later, in 2009, the Group established its global Marine Headquarters in Singapore in recognition of the growth in the Asian market and its importance to the business.

Recent years have also seen a growth in all other business sectors. Since the divestment of Parsons in the late 1990s, Rolls-Royce has acquired two companies with substantial presence in Singapore: Cooper Bessimer Rotating, an Oil & Gas equipment and services company, and Vickers plc, a specialist marine design and equipment supply company.