Dyson to open battery plant in Singapore as part of S$4.6 billion global investment plan

SINGAPORE — As part of efforts to enhance its engineering and manufacturing capabilities, technology company Dyson announced on Wednesday (May 3) it will open a new proprietary battery plant in Singapore.

The building in Tuas will be completed this year and be fully operational by 2025. 

Founder James Dyson said the proprietary new technology batteries would, along with software, connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI), help "power the next generation of Dyson technology".

"Just like our long-term investments in pioneering digital electric motor technology, Dyson’s next-generation battery technology will drive a major revolution in the performance and sustainability of Dyson’s machines," he added.

Dyson plans to double its advanced manufacturing footprint in 2023 and the Tuas battery plant, which will be the size of 53 basketball courts, is said to be the most significant investment in advanced manufacturing in the company’s history. 

The plant, along with new facilities in the Philippines and the United Kingdom, is part of Dyson's ongoing £2.75 billion (S$4.58 billion) five-year investment strategy to bring technology to market more quickly, with a focus on energy storage, software development and AI. 

The new sites will build upon the company’s existing campuses, research and development spaces and manufacturing facilities in Singapore, UK, China, Malaysia, Philippines and Poland.

Dyson has been manufacturing its own batteries for over a decade in a bid to "create smaller, lighter, more sustainable and more energy dense batteries" and the new Tuas plant will further enhance the company's capabilities in that area.

“Our advanced manufacturing expansion in Singapore will enable Dyson to bring entirely new battery technology to market,” Dyson’s CEO Roland Krueger said.

“Singapore’s highly skilled engineers and scientists, and supportive government that embraces industry 4.0 manufacturing, make it the perfect place for a high-technology company such as Dyson.”

Last year, Dyson announced at the official opening of its global headquarters at St James Power Station it will invest S$1.5 billion in its Singapore operations over the next four years.

OTHER NEW FACILITIES

The new technology facility in the Philippines will focus on software, AI, robotics, fluid dynamics and hardware electronics, all of which are integral to the development of Dyson’s high-performing products, the company said.

These products range from robotic technologies and air enhancement technologies to beauty products like the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, which are increasingly reliant on software, sensors, and connectivity.

The £166 million facility, located in Santo Tomas, Batangas, will begin operations in the first half of 2024.

Dyson also announced plans for a £100 million investment in a new technology centre in Bristol that will host hundreds of software and AI engineers, as well as the commercial and e-commerce teams for Britain and Ireland.

Dyson has a wide array of products, including air purification, robotics, haircare, lighting, and hand drying. It also launched its first wearable device in December last year — the Dyson Zone noise-cancelling headphones, boasting air purification technology. CNA