Global automation specialist Schneider Electric announced this month it will invest more than $72 million to bolster its presence in Singapore. The funding will be used to establish a software industry solutions center and a software regional hub, a new East Asia headquarters and a regional control tower for network logistics, analytics and transportation.

“Schneider Electric is pleased to expand its substantial operations in Singapore with new investments committed to support the country with energy management, automation and software technologies, helping make it an exemplary smart city state with smart industries and smart datacenters”, says Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric.

Calling Singapore a “key knowledge and innovation hub” for the Asia region, Tricoire adds the company made the decision to base its regional hub in the area because of Singapore’s research capabilities, competitive ecosystem and reputation as a protector of intellectual property. “This is an ideal location for our new solutions center that will address the challenges the cloud and data center industry faces in Asia,” Tricoire says.

According to the company, the Software Industry Solutions Center will help chemicals, food and beverage, mining and metals, oil and gas, transportation, water and wastewater, and utilities companies leverage Schneider Electric’s industrial software portfolio to enhance their productivity, improve safety and boost sustainable performance. At its peak capacity, which is expected to be reached by 2018, the center will employ more than 60 research scientists and engineers. The center will also feature a Customer Experience Center, where Schneider Electric’s solutions and capabilities will be showcased.

Schneider Electric’s new East Asia Headquarters in Singapore will oversee the company’s operations in ASEAN, Korea, Taiwan and Mongolia. In addition, Schneider Electric global supply chain’s already established logistics and network design team in Singapore will be expanded to handle regional control tower activities for logistics and network design, data analytics and global transportation. The control tower will deepen its capabilities in Singapore to address supply chain optimization needs for its products within the region and beyond.