ALIGNMENT Tool, which makes precision cutters, has received a major boost from a $15 million centre offering technical expertise to such firms.

Experts at the Precision Engineering Centre of Innovation helped Alignment Tool develop faster ways to design its tools.

'As a result, it has significantly reduced the amount of time required and is now supplying high-value cutters to aerospace manufacturing companies,' said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan.

'The innovation has led to new business opportunities for the company,' he added.

He was speaking at the official opening of the centre at A*Star's Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology at Nanyang Technological University. The centre is a collaboration between Spring Singapore and A*Star.

This is the third of four such centres being launched under the umbrella of Spring's Technology Innovation Programme, which was initiated in August 2006.

Two are up and running - one devoted to food research at Singapore Polytechnic, and another on marine and offshore industry research at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The fourth, to focus on environment and water technology, will open soon at Ngee Ann Poly.

The new precision engineering centre allows small and medium-sized enterprises to use research facilities to improve products or manufacturing processes, and to seek advice from retired consultants or hire product researchers. It began operations in June last year, and 42 projects are now in the pipeline.

Last year, the precision engineering industry generated $22 billion - 10 per cent of total manufacturing output - and employed nearly 100,000 staff.

Interested firms can go to www.pe-coi.sg for more information.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on May 24, 2008.