Singapore – Coherent Inc., a supplier of industrial lasers and systems, has opened a new facility in southeastern Singapore's Kallang area.
This new center will be equipped with the capacity to produce entire laser sources for laser marking, laser ablation, scribing, laser drilling, and photovoltaic manufacturing applications.
The 32,000 sq ft center also operates to support the company's global customers. Coherent anticipates doubling its workforce to more than 200 within the next few years, mainly in high level engineering and research positions. Guest-of-honor at the opening ceremony, managing director Beh Swan Gin of Singapore's Economic Development Board, said the new facility clearly vindicated the country's highly advanced manufacturing capabilities for sophisticated instruments and equipment.
According to sources, Coherent had earlier disclosed that the process of transferring the production capability of certain company products to its new Singapore center was underway. In January, the firm successfully acquired the business assets of Hypertronics, a local laser manufacturer. Coherent is confident that these recent developments would help it serve its Asian customers better, especially those engaged in producing hard disk drives and flat panel displays.
