Made in Singapore: Dyson’s epicenter for revolutionary design
From the PencilVac vacuum cleaner to the Airstrait hair straightener, numerous Dyson products are conceptualized and crafted in Singapore.
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Singapore may be a small island nation, but its spirit for reinvention and appetite for frontier technology are vast. Over the past 60 years, it has transformed from a tiny city-state to a modern metropolis. This commitment to innovation is what drew Dyson to move its global headquarters to Singapore in 2019.
The company runs its global headquarters out of St James Power Station, a restored national monument that once supplied electricity but now powers a different kind of verve: ideas. Dyson’s global research, engineering, and commercial and advanced manufacturing operations are all anchored in Singapore. It is also the command post for the company’s breakthroughs, from next-generation digital motors to haircare products.
Mini motor, major breakthrough
Despite this achievement, the Singapore team is just getting started. Its latest innovation is the Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor, which has a spin speed of up to 140,000 revolutions per minute—faster than a Formula 1 car engine—and a suction power of 55 air watts (AW). Just 28 mm in diameter, it is Dyson’s smallest and fastest motor to date.
Style meets substance
The same design-led engineering can be found at the Singapore Technology Centre, where its head-turning beauty products are conceptualized and tested. A prime example is the Airstrait, a cutting-edge hair straightener that allows users to straighten and style hair even when wet.
At the core of Dyson’s innovation is its Hyperdymium motor, a small and powerful engine that drives the company’s lightweight yet mighty machines. The first generation of this motor, the X020, was created in Singapore in 2004, eventually giving rise to the company’s first dedicated manufacturing center, Singapore Advanced Manufacturing (SAM), in 2012.
What began as two production lines has evolved to include six more, which make one motor every two seconds. In 2025, the state-of-the-art facility marked a major milestone: its 100 millionth motor. “We’ve come a long way since the first generation of the Dyson motor back in 2004,” says Peter Teo, general manager, SAM. “Our teams at SAM have continued to evolve and innovate through the years, playing a pivotal role in Dyson’s growth journey globally. This milestone is a recognition of their efforts and a testament to our advanced manufacturing and execution capabilities in Singapore.”
This upgrade has played an integral role in creating the PencilVac, the world’s slimmest cordless vacuum. “We wanted the handle to be just 38 mm in diameter, the same size as our haircare products,” says Nicklaus Yu, head of innovation, Dyson. “That sweet spot means it sits naturally in the hand and makes the vacuum cleaner easier to manoeuvre.” Its new format enables the machine to rotate 360 degrees, slipping into nooks and crannies a typical vacuum can’t reach. Four soft conical brush bars on the sides also allow it to clean forward and backward, absorb debris right to the corner, and even detangle long hair. The Singapore team also found a way to create an air-compression bin by utilizing airflow to consolidate the debris, maximizing the bin’s capability as a result. “In a traditional vacuum, the collected dust flits all over the place in the bin,” says Yu. “But the PencilVac’s suction capabilities manage to compact everything, allowing the user to collect five times more in capacity.”
Instead of pressing hair between two hot plates, the Airstrait incorporates precise directional airflow at a 45-degree angle between two silicon tension bars, creating a downward force that dries and straightens hair concurrently. Glass-bead thermistors inside the machine arms monitor airflow temperature to prevent extreme heat damage.
Dyson’s Singapore team was extremely thorough in considering every aspect of the user experience, including the motor’s whirring noise. This was a concern for the team because the Airstrait would be placed close to users’ ears. “To overcome this challenge, we designed an acoustic cone inside, which makes sure that air flows nicely into the motor before it emerges from the outlet, improving the overall sound performance,” says Yu. The result is a handy haircare product that not only saves time but also preserves hair strength and protects its natural shine.
The inventiveness and enthusiasm from the Dyson team demonstrate that Singapore is no longer just the business capital for the region. Some of the world’s most innovative and intuitive products are designed in the small island nation.
As Singapore’s national agency for design, we champion the use of design to grow business, spur innovation, and improve lives.
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