Designing the Future of Aerospace
Sustainability, new regulations, and technology and innovation are shaping the future of the aerospace industry. Singularity Aerotech Asia (SAT), a Tier-1 engineering supplier to Dornier Seawings GmbH (Dornier) and other Tier-1 aerospac companies in Malaysia, aims to be at the forefront of this revolution by driving the green aerospace market in the country and beyond. CEO Hafeiz Hassan, explains more to International Business Review.
“Following two years of stagnation, we are seeing an increased demand from our local Tier-1 aerospace partners (suppliers that serve large OEMs such as Airbus and Boeing). For instance, Airbus has announced that the production of their single aisles such as A320 and A321 has increased by 50 percent monthly. This has pushed up the need for additional tooling and fixtures.”
“There is also strong demand in passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion which will benefit local players. Naturally, there will be spillover effects on engineering companies like SAT. We are already in talks with several companies to provide engineering support,” Hafeiz reveals.
He further highlights that having a diversified portfolio has helped the company cushion the impact of COVID-19. “We focused mainly on the regional and general aviation segment which saw steady demand during the pandemic period. In addition, we also grew our capabilities in IoT and software development for the marine, oil and gas, and other industries,” he explains.
The Green Prospects
The company is now eyeing the green aerospace market, which according to Hafeiz, will outpace the conventional large commercial aircraft industry. “Currently we’re working closely with a European OEM to support the development of next-generation regional aircraft that are greener and use the latest propulsion technology.
The aircraft will be compatible with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and be ready for hydrogen fuel technology within 10 years. This aligns with efforts for the global aviation industry to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050.”
SAT’s endeavour is set to contribute to Malaysia’s long-term aerospace aspirations. “We estimate that the green aerospace market has the potential to bring an additional RM2-3 billion annually to the industry and create over 3,000 highly-skilled jobs. Therefore, having a complementary supply chain that focuses on this segment will surely benefit the nation’s aerospace ecosystem.”
He adds, “Our involvement extends beyond aircraft engineering and design. We are well-positioned to catalyse a new ecosystem focusing on high-level assembly, 3D printing, and metal hot-forming through partnerships with established manufacturers. We will work with other existing aerospace players and develop new SMEs to augment Malaysia’s current capabilities.”
With 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, Hafeiz has witnessed its evolution at both the national and global level. He is convinced that the industry will remain resilient despite changing trends and even global crises, and believes in the immense opportunities that the industry has to offer.
“My vision is for SAT to be at the forefront of the new air mobility industry that focuses on environment, technology and people. We look forward to pushing the boundaries of aerospace engineering to balance innovation with the safety and quality requirements of this highly regulated but agile industry,” he affirms.
