The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone lets firms like DHL, UPS and Kuehne+Nagel combine Singapore’s connectivity with Johor’s resource advantages – cutting costs while unlocking new opportunities
IN AN increasingly uncertain global trade environment, businesses are under pressure to build resilient supply chains that can withstand disruption while remaining cost-competitive.
Singapore and Malaysia’s Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is helping businesses draw on the complementary strengths of both markets.
Companies can tap into Johor’s resource advantages, such as land and labour, while remaining plugged into Singapore’s world-class logistics infrastructure, trusted business environment and global connectivity.
For logistics players DHL, UPS and Kuehne+Nagel (KN), the JS-SEZ has spurred them to expand their footprint in the region and to manage some of the world’s most complex supply chains spanning healthcare, industrial and e-commerce sectors.
Best of both worlds: Cost efficiency meets global connectivity
Companies across manufacturing, logistics and digital industries have long enjoyed the benefits of having “twinned” operations in Singapore and Johor. Mr Edwin Wong, chief executive officer of DHL Supply Chain South-east Asia, said that this model combines Singapore’s world-class connectivity and Johor’s cost-efficient ecosystem – including access to a competitive labour force, ample land for large-scale fulfilment and manufacturing operations, and lower utility and energy expenses.
The effectiveness of this model depends on how well companies can orchestrate and optimise operations across both locations. Mr Wong said DHL’s Connected Control Tower (CCT) technology has helped businesses uncover gaps and inefficiencies in their inventory management through real-time tracking and predictive analysis.
By leveraging analytics to support network redesign and inventory right-sizing, DHL reveals optimisation opportunities that companies may not have realised. This allows DHL to actively help customers unlock capacity and working capital.
Mr Wong said: “Ultimately, it’s about delivering a more efficient supply chain solution for our customers, by tapping into our analytics and utilising the benefits of proximity that the JS-SEZ offers. This provides greater visibility for our customers as we continue to build smarter, more sustainable supply chains across both borders.”
Other logistics players have observed similar benefits. KN noted that Johor is particularly attractive for sectors requiring large storage capacity, especially during seasonal peaks when warehousing demand can more than double.
While some businesses may choose to relocate their large-scale fulfilment activities for slower-moving goods to optimise costs, Singapore remains a critical node for companies’ regional distribution strategies. Mr Rasmussen explained that Singapore is the preferred hub for value-added services, high-value and time-critical cargo, and rapid market access.
Singapore is a global gateway to Asia, with major cities in the region accessible within a seven-hour flight. In 2024, Singapore’s Changi Airport handled 67.7 million passengers and 366,000 aircraft movements. More than 7,200 flights depart each week – close to one every 80 seconds.
Mr Wong also noted that Singapore’s extensive network of 29 free trade agreements (FTAs) helps businesses navigate today’s complex trade environment by providing more avenues to reach new trading partners. He said: “Given the current state of global trade, these FTAs enhance our customers’ trade opportunities, offering them greater flexibility for both importing and exporting goods.”
Singapore’s strong connectivity networks are augmented by the growing number of free zones in the JS-SEZ. DHL highlights that businesses with Regional Distribution Centres (RDCs) and Global Distribution Centres (GDCs) in Johor can now move goods across the border into Singapore duty-free, eliminating the traditional cash-flow burden of upfront tax payments.
UPS recently enhanced its services in Johor with the opening of a new package centre in Senai and a bonded warehouse at Senai Airport. The warehouse allows businesses to store inventory without immediate payment of duties and import taxes, providing the ability to respond more quickly to customer orders and more flexibly manage regional stock levels while ensuring fast and cost-effective distribution to Singapore and beyond.
Streamlined cross-border trade and customs
Singapore and Malaysia are committed to making it easier and faster for businesses to move people and goods across borders. Initiatives such as passport-free QR clearance to enhance the flow of people and streamlined customs procedures to improve cargo flow are already delivering benefits.
A single transhipment permit, for instance, has been launched by Singapore Customs for land intermodal transhipments, enabling goods arriving by truck from Malaysia to be efficiently transferred onto vessels or aircraft in Singapore for global export. This halves the number of permits needed from two to one, cuts processing time by 50 per cent and eliminates the $40 fee that previously had to be paid for each import and export permit application.
KN is already seeing the impact of these improvements across its operations in Singapore and Johor. In Singapore, it operates six sites, including its Asia-Pacific headquarters and three fulfilment centres spanning over 75,000 sq m. In Johor, KN has two sites: an office in the city centre and a combined office-and-fulfilment centre at Tanjung Pelepas Port.
Mr Rasmussen, managing director of KN Singapore and Malaysia, said: “Our experience with customs clearance and permit processing has been encouraging. Procedures have become noticeably faster and more efficient. One of the most common misconceptions is that the border between Singapore and Malaysia is always congested, making efficient truck crossings difficult. In reality, with proper planning, cargo movements can be managed smoothly.”
Ms Ingrid Lorentz Sidiandinoto, managing director of UPS Singapore and Malaysia, said: “In anticipation of the JS-SEZ increasing trade and speeding up customs clearance, we’ve planned ahead for higher volumes. This includes looking at space, staffing, equipment and delivery needs to support future demand from both sides of the border.”
To support these cross-border flows, UPS also operates a regional hub at Changi Airport, which consolidates packages from across the region, including Johor. With 22 weekly flights into and out of Changi, all imports and exports from Johor are routed through Changi, enabling Johor-based customers to reach key markets in Asia, Europe and the US more quickly and efficiently.
Logistics players are ramping up to serve growing demand
The JS-SEZ is attracting interest across a broad range of industries, from industrial goods to consumer products and e-commerce, all benefiting from the complementary strengths of Johor and Singapore, and the region’s investment opportunities.
The healthcare sector, particularly pharmaceuticals and medtech, is driving greater demand for specialised logistics solutions. Logistics players are responding by developing and scaling new logistics models for managing the regulatory, cold-chain and time-sensitive requirements of this highly regulated industry.
DHL has been investing ahead of this trend. The company recently invested €10 million (S$15 million) in a new Pharma Hub in Singapore, part of a larger €500 million regional commitment to the life sciences and healthcare sectors. The 8,200 sq m, GDP-compliant facility features specialised cold-chain zones to support fast and reliable pharmaceutical distribution.
UPS recently doubled the size of its healthcare logistics footprint in Singapore with the opening of a new warehouse in Tuas, the company’s third healthcare-focused facility in the country. The site is equipped with advanced automation and cold chain technology to handle sensitive healthcare shipments.
KN operates a 50,000 sq m logistics hub near the healthcare cluster, with more than 40 per cent of its space configured for advanced cold storage, redressing and postponement. This supports a robust cold chain distribution solution with temperature-controlled distribution of pharmaceutical and medtech products across borders, including into Thailand.
The experiences of DHL, UPS and KN spotlight a new operating model that allows businesses to design supply chains that are more resilient, responsive and scalable.
With Singapore and Malaysia continuously working to improve regional integration and cross-border connectivity, the JS-SEZ is emerging as an ideal gateway for companies looking to scale their presence across South-east Asia, projected to be the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030.
Learn more about the JS-SEZ here and connect with EDB to explore how your business can benefit.
