Neste opens new R&D center in Singapore

Neste Oyj is strengthening its global innovation and research strategy by establishing a new Research and Development (R&D) center in Singapore. The company stated that this investment will support its growth ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region and foster collaboration with local partners.

The new center will be located in Science Park II in western Singapore. It is intended to complement Neste's existing R&D activities and enhance its presence within the region's innovation network. Approximately 40 researchers and professionals are expected to be hired gradually between 2022 and 2025. The center is scheduled to be fully operational from early 2023.

Lars Peter Lindfors, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Neste, highlighted that the new center will support the Singapore refinery, which is currently undergoing an expansion to increase its annual production capacity by up to 1.3 million tons. "We continue to diversify our renewable raw material portfolio and expand the availability of those raw materials we already use," Lindfors said.

Neste's primary R&D operations will continue at its technology center in Porvoo, Finland, where nearly 1,100 researchers and engineers are employed. The company invests a significant portion of its annual innovation expenditure into researching future raw materials and the technologies required for their utilization.