Dyson confirmed that its Board has ratified a decision to construct its first advanced automotive manufacturing facility in Singapore. The bespoke two-storey manufacturing facility is scheduled for completion in 2020.
The project demonstrates the international nature of Dyson’s operations. Earlier this year Dyson announced it was in the process of investing £200m in new buildings and testing facilities at its campus at Hullavington Airfield, UK. It continues its £2.5bn investment in new technology globally.
Writing to Dyson staff, Jim Rowan, CEO of Dyson said, Dyson’s growing automotive team is making excellent progress from the state-of-the-art hangars at Hullavington Airfield in Wiltshire where we are investing £200m. Clearly we now need to move quickly towards manufacturing and assembly.
The decision of where to make our car is complex, based on supply chains, access to markets, and the availability of the expertise that will help us achieve our ambitions. I am delighted to let you know that the Dyson Board has now decided that our first automotive manufacturing facility will be in Singapore. We will begin construction in December and it will be completed in 2020, meeting our project timeline.
Our existing footprint and team in Singapore, combined with the nation’s significant advanced manufacturing expertise, made it a frontrunner. Singapore also offers access to high-growth markets as well as an extensive supply chain and a highly skilled workforce. Singapore has a comparatively high-cost base, but also great technology expertise and focus. It is therefore, the right place to make high-quality technology loaded machines and the right place to make our electric vehicle.
Dyson’s history in Singapore began 11 years ago with a small engineering team developing our high speed, digital, electric motors. We have grown significantly since then, we now employ 1,100 people and have made over fifty million high-speed Dyson Digital Motors in Singapore.
Our RDD teams at both the Singapore Technology Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Centre have developed world-leading knowledge and represent Dyson at its best. Singapore is central to our future and we expect to more than double our team there.
Dyson is truly global in its development, delivery and realisation of technology. This decision is good news for the exceptional teams we have in both the UK and Singapore. It is a fast-moving, exciting, and pivotal project for Dyson; thank you for all you are doing to help us realise our ambitions.
Total UK headcount has increased by 2.5 times over the last five years to 4,800. The iconic former Ministry of Defence airfield at Hullavington already employs a team of 400 and represents a £200m expansion.
The Campus at Hullavington is located close to Dyson’s Malmesbury campus where Dyson employs over 4,000 Dyson people, including the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Through The Dyson Institute, Dyson is making a £31m investment into higher education to help overcome the shortage of engineers in the UK. The four-year degree programme, free of tuition fees, covers the fundamentals of engineering in years one and two. It delivers electronics and mechanical engineering content in years three and four – all alongside a paid job as part of Dyson’s research and development team, working on real products, with leading engineers and scientists.