Neste to open research and development center in Singapore
Finland’s Neste announced that it will establish a research and development (R&D) center in Singapore to further accelerate the implementation of its growth strategy. With this investment, Neste aims to increase its R&D and innovation capabilities globally, and drive collaboration with partners in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in Singapore.
“Neste is currently increasing the production capacity of the Singapore refinery by up to 1.3 million tons annually, operational in early 2023. Establishing our new R&D center in Singapore with advanced analytical and raw material research capabilities serves well to drive our growth ambitions in the region and supports our largest renewable products refinery locally,” says Lars Peter Lindfors, senior vice president of Innovation at Neste.
“We continue to diversify our renewable raw material portfolio with new types of raw materials, while we also expand the availability of those raw materials we already use. We source our raw materials globally, also in the Asia-Pacific region. Different waste and residues currently account for over 90% of our renewable raw material inputs globally. With our own proprietary NEXBTL refining technology, a variety of renewable products can be refined flexibly even from low-quality raw materials, while the end-products retain their high quality. Neste’s products serve the growing global demand for lower-emission alternatives in the transport, aviation, as well as polymers and chemicals sectors,” Lindfors says.
R&D center in Singapore will strengthen Neste’s presence in Asia-Pacific
The Asia-Pacific R&D center will complement Neste’s already extensive efforts in the area of innovation and R&D, and strengthen Neste’s presence in the Asia-Pacific innovation network. The R&D center will be located in the Science Park II in the west part of Singapore. Approximately 40 researchers and other professionals will be hired gradually from 2022 to 2025. The R&D center will be fully operational from 2023 onwards. Read more about Neste in Singapore and Asia-Pacific.
Neste’s main R&D facilities will continue to be located in its Technology Center in Porvoo, Finland, where nearly 1,100 employees work in research and development, as well as engineering. Neste invests the majority of its annual innovation expenditure to research and test future raw materials, as well as technologies enabling their use. Neste will continue to increase the volume of its research, development and innovation operations also in Finland.