3M Opens Optoelectronics Lab

SINGAPORE -- In a strategic move to serve its growing number of local customers in the optical networking industry more effectively, 3M Company is creating an "Optoelectronics Centre of Excellence" at its manufacturing facility in Woodlands Plant, Singapore. 3M will create an Optoelectronics laboratory that will include Applications Engineering, Design, and, Product and Process Development. This laboratory will support the Electronics and Interconnect Solutions, and Optical Components businesses for 3M, and is strategically located in Singapore to support the Asia region. In addition, 3M will transfer the Austin, Texas, manufacturing processes for Optical Components to its Woodlands facility over the next 12 to 14 months. The move is an extension of the business model the company has found to be beneficial in Austin: the co-location of manufacturing with development and product customisation capabilities. The Singapore and Austin laboratories will work as a single global team, with both locations supporting identified development priorities. Neal Kurzejeski, managing director, 3M Singapore, said, "Any number of Asian facilities could have been chosen. We were selected because of our technical capability in lasers and electronics, the availability of clean room facilities, our experience with Six Sigma, the support of the Singapore government, and our proven track record and results." 3M Company