Motorola plans to invest $60 million over the next two years to build a supply-chain control center in Singapore to improve its global supply-chain management and manufacturing efficiencies with virtual control from a single point.

According to Telecom Asia, the facility, a first for the company globally, will make Singapore a strategic point for managing its global supply chain.

The facility will be fully operational by 2008 and employ 200 staff. Most of the $60 million will go into funding the expanded headcount and R&D activities, Motorola said. The facility will manage Motorola's full range of activities in supply chain management across all its businesses, from mobile devices and networks to enterprise and connected home solutions.

Once the center is fully operational, Motorola expects the facility to improve responsiveness to customer needs by up to 40%.