Event report • Interview
Past Event | A Conversation with Mr. Chin Yau Seng, CEO of SIA Engineering Company
Thank you to Mr. Chin Yau Seng, CEO of SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) for an insightful discussion on SIAEC’s expansion across Asia, strategic partnerships, OEM collaborations, and technological investments, as well as its focus on safety, efficiency, and sustainability amid post-COVID challenges.
Moderated by Mr. Antoine Javault, Deputy Regional Representative, ASEAN at Safran, and Board Member of the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, this fireside chat was dynamic, engaging, sparking numerous questions from the audience.
Thank you to Mr. Yoon Kim, Board Member at the French Chamber of Commerce and Cluster President for Singapore and Brunei at Schneider Electric, for his warm welcome, and to Ms. Leticia Tang, Strategy Manager from Schneider Electric for sharing her key takeaways from the session.
Key Insights from the Session:
- SIAEC operates base maintenance and support with 6 hangars in Singapore, 3 in the Philippines, and 2 in Malaysia, along with line maintenance and cabin services across 34 airports in 8 countries. Its component and engine services divisions support 187 aircraft from 8 airlines. With 25 subsidiaries and JVs in 9 countries, SIAEC continues to expand its global presence.
- Post-COVID challenges include the transition to composite materials, supply chain disruptions, manpower shortages, and geopolitical tensions. Despite this, SIA remains the largest Airbus A380 operator and SIAEC is actively expanding into South East Asia, India, and China. In India, SIA’s 21.5% stake in Air India supports the development of a main base facility, with expectations of growth similar to China’s aviation boom. In SEA, SIAEC leverages its network to optimize maintenance at locations like Jakarta, Bali, and Hong Kong.
- SIAEC’s competitive edge lies in its people, procedures, safety, compliance, and customer-first approach. Unlike most airlines, it partners with OEMs for engineering and component services, leading to multiple JVs in Singapore and planned expansion into China. However, geographical constraints limit third-party business growth.
- To enhance efficiency, SIAEC invests in AI, robotics, and automation while training staff in structured AI programs. It also prioritizes carbon neutrality, focusing on waste management, though Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) adoption remains a challenge due to high costs and limited supply.
A special thanks to Schneider Electric for supporting our “A Conversation With” Series and hosting this engaging session.
For more information, please contact Valerie Conxicoeur vconxicoeur@fccsingapore.com
