Latest news with #EnterpriseSG
Singapore Law Watch
2 days ago
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Consumer watchdog CCCS to take over EnterpriseSG in regulating consumer protection matters
Consumer watchdog CCCS to take over EnterpriseSG in regulating consumer protection matters Source: Straits Times Article Date: 01 Jul 2025 Author: Anjali Raguraman Businesses and consumers can approach the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) for matters relating to fair trading practices, consumer product safety requirements, and weights and measures compliance. From July 1, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) will expand its regulatory functions over consumer protection matters. Both the Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) and the Weights and Measures Office (WMO) – which were previously under Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) – will come under CCCS, the competition watchdog said on June 30. Businesses and consumers can approach CCCS for matters relating to fair trading practices, consumer product safety requirements, and weights and measures compliance, it added. 'Ensuring that businesses operating in Singapore sell products that meet requisite safety standards, as well as adopt accurate measurements when dealing with consumers, is integral to cultivating robust and fair competition, which translates to better opportunities for businesses and consumers alike,' CCCS said. By combining competition enforcement with robust consumer protection oversight, it said it would 'have a fuller set of tools available' to continue to strengthen market integrity, promote business innovation and foster a more trusted trading environment. Both CCCS and EnterpriseSG are statutory boards under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The transfer, which consolidates consumer protection, legal metrology and competition functions under the CCCS, comes off the back of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2025 coming into effect. It was introduced in Parliament in March under the Competition (Amendment) Bill. Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said in April that the transfer would consolidate and streamline Singapore's regulatory landscape on consumer protection. 'This will enhance CCCS' oversight of consumer protection issues and relevant regulations, and strengthen its ability to engage both consumers and businesses on consumer protection matters,' she said. Ms Low noted that consumer markets are constantly evolving and becoming more diverse, from digital goods and online marketplaces to groceries and daily essentials. She added that industries were being actively consulted as part of a more fundamental review of the consumer protection regime. Earlier in March, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong announced a consumer protection review panel to review key consumer concerns in Singapore, such as prepayment losses and online commerce. The panel would also assess the need to strengthen enforcement powers and ability to deal with emerging trends. 'As industry practices change, and as consumer habits, patterns and preferences shift, it is timely for us to undertake a more fundamental review of our consumer protection regime,' he said at an appreciation dinner by the Consumers Association of Singapore. Mr Gan said that the panel will consult with key industry stakeholders, study international trends and best practices, and develop recommendations to drive consumer empowerment, raise industry standards and strengthen regulatory levers where appropriate to the Singapore context. Mr Alvin Koh, chief executive of CCCS, said that the consolidation of various consumer protection functions marks a significant milestone in strengthening Singapore's consumer protection framework. 'By bringing these complementary regulatory roles together, we can explore ways to reap greater operational synergies and develop a more robust consumer protection regulatory framework to serve businesses and consumers alike,' said Mr Koh. CCCS also committed to collaborating with industry stakeholders 'to ensure a smooth transition and to uphold Singapore's reputation for marketplace excellence and integrity'. CCCS said it is working closely with EnterpriseSG to transfer the functions with minimal disruption to existing service, adding that all existing regulatory requirements, registrations and certificates issued by the CPSO and WMO will remain valid and enforceable under its authority. Anjali Raguraman is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics, as well as consumer stories spanning tourism, retail and F&B. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Competition (Amendment) Act 2025 (Commencement) Notification 2025 (S 426 of 2025) Print
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Consumer watchdog CCCS to take over EnterpriseSG in regulating consumer protection matters
Businesses and consumers can approach CCCS for matters relating to fair trading practices, consumer product safety requirements, and weights and measures compliance. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY Consumer watchdog CCCS to take over EnterpriseSG in regulating consumer protection matters SINGAPORE – From July 1, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) will expand its regulatory functions over consumer protection matters. Both the Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) and the Weights and Measures Office (WMO) – which were previously under Enterprise Singapore (ESG) – will come under CCCS, the competition watchdog said on June 30. Businesses and consumers can approach CCCS for matters relating to fair trading practices, consumer product safety requirements, and weights and measures compliance, it added. 'Ensuring that businesses operating in Singapore sell products that meet requisite safety standards, as well as adopt accurate measurements when dealing with consumers, is integral to cultivating robust and fair competition, which translates to better opportunities for businesses and consumers alike,' CCCS said. By combining competition enforcement with robust consumer protection oversight, it said it would 'have a fuller set of tools available' to continue to strengthen market integrity, promote business innovation, and foster a more trusted trading environment. Both CCCS and EnterpriseSG are statutory boards under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The transfer, which consolidates consumer protection, legal metrology and competition functions under the CCCS, comes off the back of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2025 coming into effect. It was introduced in Parliament in March under the Competition (Amendment) Bill. Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said in April that the transfer would consolidate and streamline Singapore's regulatory landscape on consumer protection. 'This will enhance CCCS' oversight of consumer protection issues and relevant regulations, and strengthen its ability to engage both consumers and businesses on consumer protection matters,' she said. Ms Low noted that consumer markets are constantly evolving and becoming more diverse, from digital goods and online marketplaces to groceries and daily essentials. She added that industries were being actively consulted as part of a more fundamental review of the consumer protection regime. Earlier in March, Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong announced a consumer protection review panel to review key consumer concerns in Singapore, such as prepayment losses and online commerce. The panel would also assess the need to strengthen enforcement powers and ability to deal with emerging trends. 'As industry practices change, and as consumer habits, patterns and preferences shift, it is timely for us to undertake a more fundamental review of our consumer protection regime,' he said at an appreciation dinner by the Consumers Association of Singapore. Mr Gan said that the panel will consult with key industry stakeholders, study international trends and best practices, and develop recommendations to drive consumer empowerment, raise industry standards and strengthen regulatory levers where appropriate to the Singapore context. Mr Alvin Koh, chief executive of CCCS, said that the consolidation of various consumer protection functions marks a significant milestone in strengthening Singapore's consumer protection framework. 'By bringing these complementary regulatory roles together, we can explore ways to reap greater operational synergies and develop a more robust consumer protection regulatory framework to serve businesses and consumers alike,' said Mr Koh. CCCS also committed to collaborating with industry stakeholders 'to ensure a smooth transition and to uphold Singapore's reputation for marketplace excellence and integrity'. CCCS said it is working closely with EnterpriseSG to transfer the functions with minimal disruption to existing service, adding that all existing regulatory requirements, registrations and certificates issued by the CPSO and WMO will remain valid and enforceable under its authority. Anjali Raguraman is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics, as well as consumer stories spanning tourism, retail and F&B. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Singapore's consumer watchdog CCCS to take on new role as product safety regulator
SINGAPORE: The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) will expand its consumer protection mandate by taking on a new role as product safety regulator on Tuesday (Jul 1). The role is currently held by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) under its Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) and the Weights and Measures Office (WMO). With the role transfer, the consumer product safety and legal metrology functions under EnterpriseSG will be transferred to CCCS, the consumer watchdog said in a press release on Monday. The CPSO and the WMO will report to CCCS after the transfer, thus "strengthening the agency's regulatory oversight over consumer protection matters". Consumers and businesses can approach CCCS for issues relating to fair trading practices, consumer product safety requirements, as well as weights and measures compliance, it added. Both CCCS and EnterpriseSG are statutory boards under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. "The consolidation of consumer protection, legal metrology and competition functions under CCCS underscores the agency's mission to make Singapore's markets work well," said CCCS. "Ensuring that businesses operating in Singapore sell products that meet requisite safety standards, as well as adopt accurate measurements when dealing with consumers, is integral to cultivating robust and fair competition, which translates to better opportunities for businesses and consumers alike." Combining competition enforcement with consumer protection oversight will also allow CCCS to have a "fuller set of tools available" to "strengthen market integrity, promote business innovation, and foster a more trusted trading environment", it said. "By bringing these complementary regulatory roles together, we can explore ways to reap greater operational synergies and develop a more robust consumer protection regulatory framework to serve businesses and consumers alike," said CCCS chief executive Alvin Koh. CCCS said it is working closely with EnterpriseSG to transfer the functions with minimal disruption to existing services. It added that all existing regulatory requirements, registrations and certificates issued by the CPSO and WMO will remain valid and enforceable under its authority. The transfer of EnterpriseSG's product safety and legal metrology functions to CCCS was first tabled in Parliament in March as the Competition (Amendment) Bill.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
CCCS widens protection mandate to cover consumer product safety, legal metrology
[SINGAPORE] The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) will expand its regulatory functions by taking charge of consumer product safety requirements and weights and measures compliance matters currently handled by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG). Starting from Tuesday (Jul 1), the consumer product safety and legal metrology functions currently handled by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) will be transferred to the CCCS' purview, as the Competition (Amendment) Act 2025 comes into effect, the agency said on Monday. The consumer product safety office (CPSO) and weights and measures office (WMO), that currently operate under EnterpriseSG, will report to the CCCS, the competition watchdog said. It also said the move, which consolidates consumer protection, legal metrology and competition functions under the agency, will strengthen its regulatory oversight over consumer protection matters. 'By combining competition enforcement with robust consumer protection oversight, CCCS will have a fuller set of tools available to continue to strengthen market integrity, promote business innovation, and foster a more trusted trading environment that advances Singapore's position as a leading business hub,' the agency said. Alvin Koh, chief executive officer of CCCS, said that the consolidation will fortify Singapore's consumer protection framework. 'By bringing these complementary regulatory roles together, we can explore ways to reap greater operational synergies and develop a more robust consumer protection regulatory framework to serve businesses and consumers alike,' Koh said. To ensure business continuity, the competition watchdog said that it would work closely with EnterpriseSG to ensure 'full transfer of functions with minimal disruption to existing services'. It added that existing regulatory requirements, registrations, and certificates issued by the CPSO and WMO will remain valid and enforceable under CCCS's authority and that businesses must maintain compliance with all current regulatory requirements throughout and after the transition.
Business Times
22-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
AI and additive manufacturing – a game changer for Mencast Marine
[SINGAPORE] After more than four decades as Singapore's sole propeller designer, manufacturer and repairer, Mencast Marine took the ambitious step to inject artificial intelligence (AI) and additive manufacturing into its operations. This was a game changer for the company as it enabled faster production of its key product and required less manual labour. Since it started in 1981, Mencast has been designing and manufacturing propellers for the tugboat and fast-boat market. The propellers are about 1 to 3 metres in diameter, and are made by melting bronze alloy ingots into sand moulds in a process known as sand casting. The company also provides repair services for bigger propellers of up to 12 m in diameter, and gets orders for both production and repair from firms in Asean and even parts of Europe. The business, however, does come with challenges. 'We are very aware of the dependencies that we have in the supply chain,' Dr Chia Boon Tat, chief technology officer of Mencast Marine, told The Business Times. For example, the company is highly reliant on raw materials such as sand and bronze alloy ingots that are imported from places such as Malaysia and Europe. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Another issue has been the lack of qualified workers, as the labour-intensive production processes are very dependent on engineers. 'It's very difficult to find new, young engineers who want to work in (this) type of environment,' said Dr Chia, adding that the company's ageing workforce and its reliance on foreign labour have been a concern as well. He also noticed that, in recent years, clients were looking for greener, more sustainable propellers – ones that contributed less to their carbon footprint through both the production process and in their operations. Tech brings about a sea change Given the challenges and changes in demand, the propeller manufacturer partnered Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) in 2023 to collaborate with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star). This involved two main projects to introduce AI, additive manufacturing and robotic automation to its production flow. 'We believe that using these technologies will massively value-add and increase the productivity of (Mencast's) operations,' said Dr Chia. The majority of the production processes are carried out at the Precision Engineering Centre in A*Star's Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology. This centre is part of EnterpriseSG's Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Innovation. The first project has helped to accelerate and improve efficiency in Mencast's propeller design process. Previously, designing propellers was more reliant on experts. Though there are software tools in place, much practical experience is needed as well as manual calculations, together with rounds of trial and error. Thus, it would typically take a few weeks to create around 20 versions of a design. But, in the joint lab, AI-driven algorithms were implemented on top of Mencast's existing parametric modelling and computational fluid dynamics tools, which already allow designers to refine their propeller models and analyse their predicted movements. This has led to more than 10,000 design iterations being produced within a few days. This vastly increases the number of possibilities, pointed out Dr Chia. Within a shorter period of time, Mencast can obtain a higher number of potential designs that are better in terms of performance, and also more sustainable. The second project looked at producing propellers with additive manufacturing – or what many know as 3D printing. Each design generates a toolpath for a robot arm to follow. As the arm, armed with a welding torch or laser wire, moves along the toolpath, it builds up a propeller with bronze alloy layer by layer. While older models made from sand casting require around two weeks to a month to be completed, additive manufacturing has cut the time required for production by half. Not only are the 3D-printed propellers more efficient to produce, but they are also 10 to 20 per cent faster than the older versions. For clients, this means a reduced carbon footprint as well. Dr Chia is thus hoping for a 'quantum jump in productivity' by leaning on AI and additive manufacturing. The 'silicon economy' The partnership with EnterpriseSG and A*Star is part of Mencast's foray into what it deems the 'silicon economy'. This means integrating more robotics, software and AI into all facets of its operations, explained Dr Chia. It is a strategy that holds much potential. Mencast can streamline its supply chain by mainly focusing on one type of feedstock – bronze alloy wires that are used in additive manufacturing. The company was already using these for its repair services. 'As we move into the silicon era, we are actually recruiting a lot of the younger generation (as well). They like these types of jobs because it's higher technology,' noted Dr Chia. This is not to say the current processes have done away with the need for engineers. Much of the post-processing – such as grinding down the freshly printed propellers – and quality control still require input from engineers. Next, a lighthouse factory The company is looking for ways to automate the manufacturing process even further. As part of this, it is establishing a 'lighthouse factory' – a curated space in its compound that is able to facilitate large-scale production. Set to start production by the end of the year, it will employ Industry 4.0 technologies, including high-end additive manufacturing robots. Mencast has started sourcing from original equipment manufacturers overseas to acquire its own manufacturing robots, which could bring down the cost by around two-thirds. A robot in Mencast Marine's factory. PHOTO: MENCAST MARINE A few of these self-sourced robots have already been brought in, and are enabling manufacturing to scale up quickly, added Dr Chia. He aims to push the new 3D-printed propellers out in the second half of 2025, and also officially launch the lighthouse factory. Once the factory is up and running, the technology will pave the way for Mencast to transform its business model by decentralising manufacturing and enabling it to expand globally. The company hopes that, in the future, its tech capabilities can be transferred overseas so that its propellers can be manufactured in more countries. This would help it broaden its client base beyond South-east Asia and Europe. The use of AI and additive manufacturing also sets the scene for Mencast to venture into producing higher-end propellers for bigger ships, such as supply vessels and high-end military vessels. In addition, the company would be able to offer its repair services to other industries too – such as the aerospace sector. 'We are trying to turn this into a network effect, rather than (be) just a manufacturing company,' noted Dr Chia.
