Two years of an extraordinary construction site
The construction of this 12-hectare complex, including 8 hectares for production units, is in itself an industrial feat, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At the beginning of April 2020, as we were preparing to begin piling for the foundations, the Singaporean authorities announced a strict lockdown, which of course complicated our operations”, confirms Erwoan Pezron. Nevertheless, the project was able to forge ahead thanks to the commitment of local teams and the support of the authorities in Singapore, with a delay of only three months on the initial schedule. As many as 1,750 people were working on-site, with the support of the engineering company Wood. Work included assembling 27,000 pieces of piping and laying approximately 1,000 km of cables.
150 employees recruited and trained
A major hiring and training program was carried out at the same time. The site will employ approximately 150 Arkema staff members (and some 50 subcontractors), 90% of whom had already been recruited by mid-February 2022. “The staff will be composed mainly of Singaporeans and Malaysians, as well as a few expatriate positions to continue the transfer of skills during the early years of operation”, details Erwoan Pezron. The Group is committed to welcoming and retaining this highly skilled workforce - the world’s best-engineered plant is worth nothing without talent to bring it to life!
