#UAE #industry4.0 - The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has launched Factory Forward, a national platform bringing the country’s industrial technology transformation programmes under one roof. The initiative aims to speed up adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution tools across UAE factories. It builds on programmes that have already reached more than 700 factories, including over 620 assessed through the Industrial Technology Transformation Index. Factory Forward connects manufacturers with technical experts, technology providers, financing and support programmes. It supports the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and the Make it in the Emirates programme.
SO WHAT? - The UAE has run several industrial technology programmes including the Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI) to assess factory readiness for digital transformation, and an Advanced Technology Financing programme backed by Emirates Development Bank (ADB). The launch of Factory Forward aims to makes it easier for manufacturers, especially smaller ones, to access MoIAT Indusry 4.0 programmes, resources and partners.
KEY POINTS:
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has launched Factory Forward UAE, a national initiative unifying the country’s industrial technology transformation programmes under a single platform.
The initiative supports the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and aims to accelerate adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) tools, including AI, across UAE factories.
It builds on programmes that have already helped more than 700 factories, including over 620 assessed through the UAE’s Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI).
Factory Forward UAE guides manufacturers through their technology transformation, helping them identify what technology they need and connecting them with technical experts, providers, support programmes and financing.
The platform will share case studies of successful factory transformations and real-world technology use, helping manufacturers learn from others before choosing their own solutions.
The initiative is backed by a mix of public and private sector partners split into three roles: technology partners assess operations and readiness, enablement partners provide training and advice, and financing partners help fund transformation projects.
The launch aligns with the UAE’s Make it in the Emirates programme, which aims to grow high-value domestic industry and strengthen the country’s position as a global hub for advanced manufacturing investment.
ZOOM OUT - Rockwell Automation's 11th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, found that 98 percent of Middle East manufacturers see digital transformation as essential, well ahead of Europe, the US and the global average. Regional manufacturers back that up with close to 30 percent of operating budgets going to industrial technology, and AI adoption has moved past pilots into core operations covering quality control, cybersecurity and process optimisation. The report flags workforce skills, not technology or budget, as the main constraint on further progress.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Source: Emirates News Agency, media, Rockwell Automation
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