US-based technology company Honeywell opened its first industrial cyber-security centre of excellence in Asia at Singapore’s Changi Business Park on April 25.
The centre has been developed with the support of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and is designed to help defend the region’s industrial manufacturers against evolving cyber-security threats.
“The only way manufacturers can reap the benefits of digital transformation, such as increased uptime and reduced maintenance, is to make sure their industrial environments are cyber secure,” said Jeff Zindel, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security.
“Today marks another important step forward in Honeywell’s leadership in industrial cyber security, further strengthening our ability to secure and protect assets, operations and people. The centre’s state-of-the-art capabilities and managed security services improve cyber security protection, detection, management and response for customers, which are key enablers for successful digital transformation in the industrial sector,” Zindel said.
The cyber-security centre will be used to conduct proprietary research, develop new security technologies, provide hands-on training and certifications as well as test and validate actual solutions deployed at customer sites. In addition to serving as a research and development lab, it will also deliver managed security services to help customers reduce the risk of security breaches and proactively improve their security posture. These services include continuous security and performance monitoring and alerting, threat detection and risk management, security device management and incident response with 24-hour expert support throughout the year.
A view inside Honeywell industrial cyber-security centre at Singapore’s Changi Business Park. — Photo courtesy of Honeywell
“Cyber security is vital not just for the technology industry, but also our industrial sector and critical infrastructure, which are being increasingly digitalised,” said Gian Yi-Hsen, executive director, cities, infrastructure and industrial solutions, EDB.
“We are excited that Honeywell has chosen Singapore as the base for its new industrial cyber-security centre to leverage our world-class infrastructure and vibrant talent pool to develop security innovations and reinforce the security within the industrial space.”
The centre is the third Honeywell facility of its kind in the world. Earlier this year, the company had opened a new centre in Dubai to serve customers in the Middle East and Europe. Honeywell’s initial cyber-security centre is located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
Starting operations in Viet Nam in 2005, with offices in Ha Noi and HCM City, Honeywell provides cutting-edge technologies and solutions in the fields of aerospace, home and building technologies, safety and productivity solutions and performance material and technologies. Technologies from Honeywell UOP are being used in PetroVietnam’s Dung Quat and Nghi Son Refinery plants, Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air as well as in several universities in Viet Nam. — VNS