Singapore companies continue to find opportunities in the US: EnterpriseSG

Arizona might be a dry desert place, with cacti lining the highway and rocky landscapes on the horizon; but for Singapore companies that have a presence there, it is a place that offers vast tech opportunities.

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Semiconductor company BHS Kinetic has 50 years of experience in Singapore, and in 2022, chose to expand to Arizona. It is now based out of SkySong, the Arizona State University Scottsdale Innovation Centre, which is built to help startups launch and grow.

"The United States is investing heavily in semiconductor manufacturing, and Arizona has become one of the most important hubs. Being close to customers matters, and Arizona provides the right ecosystem and talent pool," said BHS North America general manager Dave Tan. In the US, BHS' work focuses on installation and de-installation of advanced semiconductor equipment.

Arizona is the company's base in the US, and it has also carried out projects in areas like Texas, Oregon, New York and Idaho, with additional work extending to states such as Utah, Virginia, Vermont and Minnesota.

The Sunday Times visited Arizona and Mississippi as part of an international reporting tour organised by the Foreign Press Centre of the US State Department.

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) said the US offers Singapore companies significant scale and opportunities as it is the world's largest economy, representing more than a quarter of global gross domestic product.

"Demand continues to be strong in traditional sectors where Singapore companies have established strengths, including logistics, real estate, professional services, and consumer and lifestyle," noted EnterpriseSG's director for the Americas, Ms Lim Seow Hui.

She said Singapore remains the third-largest Asian investor in the US, with more than 250 Singapore companies operating across 45 states.