SINGAPORE – Supermarket chain Sheng Siong on July 13 broke ground on a new $520 million Integrated Headquarters and Distribution Centre in Sungei Kadut, the supermarket chain’s largest investment to date.The new facility will be built on a site about 2½ times the size of Sheng Siong’s existing distribution centre at Mandai Link.Spanning more than 61,000 sq m, the seven-storey building is expected to be completed in 2029 and can support more than 120 stores. Sheng Siong currently has a network of 90 stores.Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said geopolitical tensions, climate change, rising energy prices and supply chain disruptions have made food prices more volatile globally, with Singapore particularly exposed as it imports 90 per cent of its food.“Today’s ground-breaking demonstrates Sheng Siong’s efforts to improve operational efficiency and strengthen supplier partnerships to better serve its customers,” said Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry.“This forward-looking approach is what keeps businesses competitive and keeps Singapore resilient.”Construction work is under way at the site of Sheng Siong’s new Integrated Headquarters and Distribution Centre in Sungei Kadut on July 13. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEOSupported by JTC and Enterprise Singapore, the facility will feature automated storage and retrieval systems, robotics, intelligent warehouse management systems and multi-temperature storage zones.Gan said the end-to-end automation will free manpower from repetitive and manual tasks, allowing warehouse staff to be reskilled to operate automation systems and perform technical maintenance.Others will be trained for e-commerce fulfilment and frontline retail roles, while new technical positions will be created to support the new systems.Gan added that the new facility will also strengthen Sheng Siong’s supplier network by allowing deliveries to be consolidated through a single, centralised platform, enabling more predictable schedules, better demand forecasting, and automated handling that reduces errors and product damage.The facility will feature automated storage and retrieval systems, robotics, intelligent warehouse management systems and multi-temperature storage zones. PHOTO: SHENG SIONG GROUPGan noted that Sheng Siong has grown together with more than 900 local suppliers over the past four decades and encouraged suppliers to pursue productivity enhancements in their own operations. He added that the Government will continue supporting product innovation, supply chain resilience and enterprise transformation.He also thanked Sheng Siong for “stepping up for Singaporeans during this period, through discounts for CHAS card holders and special promotions for CDC voucher users to help households cope with higher costs arising from the Middle East conflict”.Speaking at the event, Sheng Siong chief executive Lim Hock Chee said: “As we grow, we must build the foundation that allows us to serve customers better, support our suppliers and create better jobs for our people.”