SINGAPORE company Inter-Roller Engineering has won a contract to build a $16.3 million baggage handling system for a Canadian airport, in its first attempt to secure a deal in North America.

The mainboard-listed airport logistics company will design, supply and install the system at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

Winnipeg, with a population of more than 600,000, is the capital of Canada's Manitoba province.

A signing and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the airport yesterday.

Officiating were Mr Jim Rondeau, a minister in Manitoba's provincial government, and Mr Ted Tan, deputy chief executive of the Republic's trade promotion agency IE Singapore.

Inter-Roller said the contract was the first it had tendered for in North America.

Its previous experience in the region consisted of being sub-contracted to provide software controls for the Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport in the United States earlier this year.

Inter-Roller beat competitors from the US, New Zealand and Canada to win the Winnipeg contract.

'Ultimately, our superior design, technical solution, system software and simulation stood out from the others,' said Inter-Roller's senior vice-president for the Americas, Mr Lee Yeow Hwee.

Inter-Roller is the fourth-largest player in the provision of baggage handling systems worldwide.

It also designs and builds in-flight catering systems, and air cargo and parcel handing systems.

IE Singapore's Mr Tan said Inter-Roller's successful bid is an example of the way Singapore has become a 'world recognised brand for excellence in airport development and operations'.

《The Straits Times》