Keppel Receives Award

Keppel FELS Ltd (Keppel FELS), designer and builder of offshore rigs, has won the Maxa 2008 Award, which recognizes the innovation and operational excellence in manufacturing.

Keppel FELS was the only offshore mega-structure company among the six finalists hailing from across the electronics, semiconductor and bio-medical sectors. This Maxa Award, the first for a Singaporean enterprise, was presented to Keppel FELS at a ceremony on Nov. 7.

“What Keppel FELS has achieved is impressive across several dimensions. They have taken a manufacturing shop-floor mindset to a project-based industry, for products that are very significant both in size and complexity,” said Mr Chinta Bhagat, Managing Partner (Singapore) McKinsey & Company and Maxa Assessor.

Into its third year, the annual Maxa Award is jointly conferred by the Economic Development Board (EDB), McKinsey & Company and the Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA). The Award recognizes outstanding manufacturing operations in Singapore with strong innovation and operating systems, as well as long-term sustainability.

With an orderbook of S$13b and projects extending into 2012, the Keppel Offshore & Marine Group is focused on enhancing its capabilities. In conjunction with the MAXA Awards, Keppel FELS has broken ground for a new 300 metre-long jetty at its premises in Pioneer Yard today.

Costing S$33m to build, the new extension will allow Keppel FELS to meet its existing contract obligations and prepare for the future. The jetty is expected to complete by end-2009.

(www.kepcorp.com)