The Interview

Stephanie Ledwidge, Associate, Life Sciences, Linesight

From July issue, Women Going Places Women Going Places July 2024 by Media Hawkes Bay Limited – Issuu Top of mind trends in the life sciences sector, opportunities and challenges that businesses should be mindful of? The life sciences sector has been historically consolidated within designated parts of Asia-Pacific, but this has evolved over recent years, and we are now seeing key pharmaceutical hubs emerging across the region with a healthy pipeline of projects underway. As outlined in Linesight’s latest Construction Market Insights Report, skilled labour is a key challenge impacting construction growth opportunities. In developed life sciences markets such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Australia, there is a significant shortage of biotech talent. Although headwinds such as interest rates and skilled labour shortages remain front of mind, the outlook remains promising and there are opportunities for sustained growth in this sector. This is backed by significant investments from governments and the private sector to accelerate R&D activities, and place further emphasis on building supply chain resilience. For large-scale projects in this industry, effective programme and supply chain management as well as collaborating with a local partner to understand regional nuances and identify strategic opportunities, is crucial. How gender equality has evolved in the construction and life sciences industry, and share your experience as a female leader in these sectors The construction industry has predominately been a male dominated field for decades and still is. However, there are now a lot of initiatives in Singapore to promote STEM learning in schools and universities to support a future talent pipeline of women in construction. In fact, approximately 48% of all STEM degree candidates in Singapore’s universities are women. Whilst there is still more work to do to achieve a true gender balance, the life sciences industry has […]

Women Going Places – new magazine out now

Aspiration finds success Women Going Places, a new magazine from Media Hawkes Bay Limited, profiles aspirational women with a story to tell. The women included in July issue are from Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN. In future issues, profiles from further afield will appear. Read July issue here: Women Going Places July 2024 by Media Hawkes Bay Limited – Issuu Over the past few years, within our magazines, on our media platforms and on Linkedin, we have included individual profiles from fascinating women who are following their dream and bringing about change to their environments. Their stories – as with the stories within this issue – are about ability, determination and a desire to succeed. There is nothing quite like aspiration! There are many stories out there to be told and shared…and we are happy to provide the platform to do so. If you are a woman or know of a woman wanting to let readers know about your journey in this challenging and highly competitive world, let us know and we can have your story read by our readers. Enjoy the read. Regards, Doug Green, Publisher publisher@xtra.co.nz

Q & A: Aanchal Gupta, Managing Director of APAC at Tulip

What is Tulip’s role in Industry 4.0? Tulip’s role is to provide an easy to use, digitalised solution for manufacturers to enable a more efficient production process. The Industry 4.0 revolution is transforming industrial and manufacturing processes rapidly and we aspire to provide companies with opportunities to ease into this growing and evolving industry. How is Tulip assisting enhance productivity across APAC? Tulip’s Frontline Operations Platform has been developed for precisely this reason – to enhance productivity among manufacturing and production players by enabling them to develop digital solutions. In addition, our platform provides productivity and quality measurements for manufacturers and producers to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency. At Tulip, we focus primarily on frontline workers and believe there is an exponential potential in this area. To date, this area of the workforce has been left out of digitisation considerations. This is where Tulip comes in with our human-centric and low-code approach. Without any programming effort, the people who are really affected and involved in manufacturing and production daily can develop digital solutions that really improve efficiencies in their work. For example, these could be digital work instructions, quality assurance measures or documentation. In this way, productivity can be increased step by step throughout the entire production process. How do you see manufacturing’s future at present? We believe the manufacturing industry will continue to evolve significantly with new areas of growth and pockets of opportunity emerging. More and more companies are beginning to understand the challenges of having a single monolithic solution due to each site having different needs and requirements. A composable approach, where companies can fit their sites and stations with the tools, machines, and capabilities they need—but with oversight visibility—is critical in today’s rapidly evolving world. In today’s dynamic manufacturing environment, the ability to adjust to changes […]

The Interview: Lia Nicholson, Head of Sustainability, Terrascope, Singapore

Transforming the decarbonisation of business, What exactly do you do? As Terrascope’s Head of Sustainability, I build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to drive corporate decarbonisation at scale. This involves collaborating with industry associations, government officials, regulators, enterprises and other organisations, to identify and unlock opportunities that will significantly reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to 1.5°C. In addition to building partnerships, I collaborate with our data, engineering, product and design teams to optimise the emissions data and insights that our software provides to clients. We help them define clear and actionable steps to transform their operations and supply chains, resulting in positive impacts on both their carbon footprint and bottom line. Prior to joining Terrascope, I was a climate negotiator in the United Nations and senior advisor to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), a bloc of 39 countries facing existential climate risks, and considered the moral voice for climate action. I also spent several years with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership in West Africa, where I trained staff in mayor’s offices across Abidjan, Accra, Dakar and Lagos to prepare city-level carbon inventories and develop Paris Agreement-aligned climate action plans. How are your efforts currently making a difference to climate conditions? At Terrascope, we are focused on accelerating “big” net zero journeys across critical sectors and geographies. We believe that collaborating with large companies and stakeholders in the real economy presents a unique (and largely untapped) opportunity to drive decarbonisation at scale. Combining our deep expertise in data science, machine learning and sustainability, we work closely with clients and partners to identify and unlock decarbonisation opportunities that may have been overlooked. We place special emphasis on accurately measuring and managing value chain emissions, known as Scope 3, which can make up to 90% of a company’s carbon […]

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The Interview: Lim Xin Lan, senior power engineer, CHINT Asia

International Woman’s Day/International Day of Women and Girls in Science is 11 February 2023 and to celebrate www.asiamanufacturingnewstoday.com and www.themirrorinspires.com interviewed Lim Xin Lan, senior power engineer CHINT, Asia. Why did you choose to become a power engineer? My love for numbers led me into Engineering. When I was pursuing my Honours in Electrical Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, I developed an interest in power engineering. In my twenties, I foresaw how I could empower the world as a power engineer. I wanted to make an impact to society at large by ensuring the safe transmission of reliable electricity – a fundamental human need. It has been about a decade since I graduated from school, and I have never once looked back at my decision. Till today, I’m still motivated by my role as I always find meaning in what I do. There can’t be many female power engineers? My undergraduate cohort consisted of about 100 students, and they were mostly male. While the number of female power engineers in the industry today is still outnumbered by men, gender should not be a qualifying factor for this profession. If anything, the small number of female engineers in the industry as a whole represents an opportunity for more women to break into this field. Power engineers, whether male or female, should be driven by a strong sense of intuition, and importantly, a passion to solve real world problems such as the electrification of underserved areas in the world, and to ensure the safety of the end users. What is it exactly that you do? In a nutshell, critical thinking is what I do on a daily basis. I recommend the right solutions to businesses and governments worldwide to ensure the safe transmission of reliable electricity, and at the […]

The Interview: Sojung Lee,TeamViewer, APAC President

How is your company finding current business conditions? As the industry progressively adjusts to post-pandemic life, we are optimistic that the rapid digitalisation of the past three years will continue to impact businesses and their need for remote connectivity solutions. During the pandemic, companies experienced the benefits of remote access to IT and OT devices, reducing travel and resulting in increased efficiency and cost reduction. On top of it, the Industrial Metaverse, facilitated by augmented- and mixed reality, has gained momentum. Already today, but even more in future, frontline workers will be supported by digital tools running on wearables such as smart glasses, to make their jobs smarter, easier, and increase their productivity. We are looking forward to continuously support our customers with our solutions for remote access, IT support and workplace digitalisation for frontline workers. Where do you see potential areas of growth? We see a lot of growth opportunities in the APAC region. Recently, we have opened regional headquarters in Singapore and Korea which emphasises our ambition in these markets. In Korea, for instance, we can report great developments. We are partnering up with Hyundai Motor Company and will provide them with our industry-leading enterprise augmented reality platform and artificial intelligence capabilities. We will help Hyundai Motor to develop an intelligent manufacturing platform and enhance productivity, accuracy and worker safety in a smart factory. How is 2023 shaping up for your company? We are certain that our solutions are highly relevant for customers as they help them to manage remote operations securely, increase efficiency and sustainability as well as overcome labour shortage. Especially in APAC, we see an acceleration of our business and we are positive that this will continue in 2023. Areas for development? In 2023, we will continue our journey to become a more enterprise-focused software […]

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The Interview: Koo Zao Cheong, Regional Business Development Manager, Waterco Malaysia

Water is becoming a rarefied commodity in parts of Africa, how do you see this in Asia? Clean water is a human necessity – without it, all living beings will not be able to flourish. Asia is blessed with abundant water resources, with 47 per cent of the global average of freshwater per person as of 2012. However, issues of water stress and security have risen in recent years due to rapid population growth, urbanisation, increasing water needs from various sectors, and climate change, which is now happening in all parts of the world. Climate change is already an ongoing phenomenon – its negative impact towards the world is now evident such as the worsening of water quality, which will lead to a challenge where access to clean water will be reduced. As such, the right question to ask is how big the impact will be on Asia and the whole world. As a business tool, water needs to be used efficiently. How are you doing this? At Waterco, we understand that clean and safe water as well as efficient usage of it are crucial matters to be considered for most industries. Waterco provides products on water treatment system solutions through filtration technologies to ensure water is safe for its intended use and where possible, water is re-circulated. These can be seen in industries such as aquaculture, agriculture, hydroponics, aquaponics, desalination, industrial water treatments, car-wash stations, lifestyle and commercial swimming pools, spas, recreation parks, fountains, ponds in zoos and more where water is used & reused. Products such as MultiCyclone, filters with “Fish Tail” laterals helps user conserve water. Additionally, our factory is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system where rainwater is collected and kept in storage tanks. The collected rainwater is filtered by our filtration equipment before being used […]

The Interview: Dr. Nelson Cheng,President & CEO,Magna Group

How are you finding current business conditions? Despite ongoing developments around the world such as the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, I remain optimistic towards the current business outlook with opportunities to be tapped on, especially in the chemicals and manufacturing industry. My optimism can be attributed to three questions which I sought to answer when I first started my business some 30 years ago. The questions are: What are the inherent problems of each industry that will remain unsolved over the next decade or two? Which products are recession-proof and why? Who will be my customers, and why will they buy my products? My answers to the above are to continue to develop and provide innovative solutions applicable across a range of industries that see consistent demand regardless of external factors. I concluded that three issues will remain unsolved for a long period of time – namely diseases, corrosion, and friction. Diseases Viruses and bacteria will keep mutating due to the abuse of antibiotics, leading to many new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as MRSA. Antibiotic abuse also lowers our body’s immunity, leaving our bodies susceptible and easily infected with viruses. To combat this, Magna Group has developed disinfectants and sanitisers with high efficacy of up to 99.999%. We experienced skyrocketing sales volumes because of COVID-19. Corrosion According to the fundamentals of material science, all metals corrode regardless of whether they are ferrous or non-ferrous. Based on this knowledge, we have developed a wide range of corrosion inhibitors including anti corrosion packaging, VCI emitters and anti- corrosion coatings. To protect capital intensive assets onshore as well as offshore, we developed the corrosion inhibitors and created an asset enhancement management program. Again, we are experiencing good sales volumes even with the fluctuation of oil prices and clients have engaged us […]

The Interview: FARO

Spokesperson: CHEW Beow Kwan, Product Marketing Associate Manager, Asia Pacific, FARO Technologies. Please tell us what BuildIT Construction is all about? The BuildIT Construction software leverages on FARO’s cutting-edge 3D metrology capability. FARO is to first to offer this fully integrated building lifecycle Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) management tool empowering construction professionals to continuously evaluate projects with real time comparisons against CAD designs using 3D scan data. The software from FARO uniquely enables laser scanner users to perform immediate, real-time build and verify analysis throughout the entire project, and facilitates a new level of cost management and operational efficiency. BuildIT Construction can be fully integrated with 3D data collected from FARO Focus Laser Scanners, optimised for the FARO TracerM Laser Projector for placement and layout of structural components and is compatible with the FARO Laser Tracker for prefabricated modular positioning. It can also be used seamlessly with other third-party hardware. Where do you see this software being used most? Application areas that will benefit most from the BuildIT Construction software include Architecture, Civil Engineering/Surveying, Construction, Facility Management, Historical Preservation, and Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP). AEC professionals will find the software useful for: ⁃ Verifying accuracy of scan data to design models ⁃ Detecting incorrect placement or missing features such as walls, columns, beams, pipes, etc. ⁃ Performing important measurements accurately and quickly ⁃ Inspecting construction for adherence to building standards ⁃ Verifying shifts and movements within structural performance over time with 4D analysis ⁃ Performing real time monitoring of adjacent structures throughout the project lifecycle Is there a lot of construction underway across ASEAN? Prospects for construction in the ASEAN region is generally bright. According to the Global Construction 2030 Report , the ASEAN construction market is expected to exceed US$1 trillion by 2030, with growth […]

Predictive maintenance: spend a little to save a lot

Paolo Carnovale, Head of Industrial Product Marketing, RS Components Spending money to save money doesn’t come easy to some. But in the case of predictive and preventative maintenance regimes – especially for high-capital assets – a relatively modest spend could potentially offset repair or lost-production costs that run into millions. The problem with maintenance spend is that it is very hard to quantify its benefits if nothing actually goes wrong – accountants tend to like tangible figures as opposed to those generated by “what-if” scenarios. Couple this to budget competition from other disciplines and the job of justifying the expenditure becomes even harder. As it is tough to define an “opportunity cost/loss” in terms of maintenance statistically, it is far easier to look at the issues simplistically by determining, for example, the cost of maintenance vs. the cost of repair/replacement and the expected life of a machine or asset vs. its extended service life. In all cases, the cost of lost production, goodwill and customer confidence must also be factored in to this equation. Even with these simple analyses, the need to have maintenance as a strategic element of an operational plan, becomes very clear, but what is the next logical step? For those with complex operations, the obvious route is the deployment of a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS), which will help remove much of the guesswork and workload by defining a strategy and timetable as well as the actual work to be undertaken on individual machines and assets. More often than not, this type of proactive approach is combined with technological solutions that offer a real-time snapshot of machine health. These solutions range from simple temperature sensors and vibration probes all the way up to bespoke, fully featured condition monitoring (CMS) software solutions. How they are selected, […]

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The Interview