Singapore’s home grown gaming chair manufacturer Secretlab is looking to fill more than 100 jobs after experiencing “massive growth” in recent years.
The company’s co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Alaric Choo said that it is hiring around 80 engineers and designers, as well as new hires for marketing, public relations, and global operational roles.
This will expand the company’s product team to more than double its current size. Most of the roles will be based in Singapore while a few roles may require shuttling between Singapore and China where the company has a factory.
The consumer tech startup currently hires more than 200 employees, where 90 per cent are Singaporeans. It produces about one million chairs a year and sells them to about 60 countries. About 10,000 chairs are shipped abroad every week.
Alaric shared those details with the media on the sidelines of an industry visit from Gan Kim Yong, Trade and Industry Minister. Mr Gan was visiting Secretlab’s new global headquarters and research and development (R&D) lab in Braddell.
New Secretlab headquarters
According to Ian Ang, co-founder and CEO of Secretlab, S$10 million was invested to set up the headquarters and the R&D centre. It spans 44,000 square feet across a single floor in an industrial building.
The R&D lab tests the durability of materials, for instance, like humidity chambers and pressure mapping stations.
“We’ll continue to invest S$50 million over the next few years into research and development to further boost our product development and innovation capabilities,” Ian said.
Secretlab was founded by Alaric and Ian in 2014. It has grown to establish itself as one of the most highly-rated gaming chair makers in the world, with recognition from the gaming community.
In June last year, game developer Riot Games appointed Secretlab as the official chair partner of the League of Legends European Championship.
The work-from-home situation has also caused many to snap up its chairs for the comfortable and ergonomic designs.
Around 60 per cent of Secretlab’s sales are reported to come from North America and Europe. Singapore accounts for just five per cent.
With the esports market expected to reach US$2.2 billion in revenue by 2023, the startup is set to post further growth in the road ahead, as its products reach out to more people in the international gaming community and the mass market.
The company expanded beyond chairs and introduced its first gaming table this year, which it described as “part of the whole ergonomic experience”.
Featured Image Credit: Secretlab