Exploring smart strategies for long term resilience in industrial manufacturing

The ADIPEC 2022 Smart Manufacturing Conference brings together manufacturers from across the energy sector to engage in discussions around industrial growth. In her opening remarks, Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology United Arab Emirates, said: “Manufacturing is a central pillar of the world economy with a direct contribution of 16 per cent of global GDP, making it one of the key engines of economic growth”.

She noted how the pandemic and climate change exposed vulnerabilities of global suppl chain and the importance of striking a balance between local production and international supply chains. “Our production systems must shift and put sustainability and supply chain resilience at the centre of industrial policymaking. To achieve these goals, technology and technological advancement are essential to further developments within the industrial sector,” she said. H.E. Al Amiri outlined three key principles to drive positive change. She said: “First, is the development of a comprehensive industrial strategy that identifies key industries that are cornerstones of the national economy…The second principle is a realisation that emissions need to be reduced… The third principle is evolving partnerships.

We are no longer in a world that can handle transactional relationships…We need to drive the creation of ecosystems or partnership networks. The Industry 4.0 programme was launched to provide support for adaptation and development of advanced technology solutions for companies within the UAE’s industrial sector. H.E. Al Amiri, said: “We’re targeting 1000 technological projects by 2031, which will enable 15 billion barrels worth of exports representing a significant opportunity for technology corporations and startups setting up in the UAE”. She ended her remarks by declaring that “the transformation to industry 4.0 is not about technologies. It is how we use them. How we transform the way we approach production.” “The key to succeeding with Industry 4.0 is to recognise that it is a journey. It’s a journey of continuous improvement with no targets. It’s a journey that requires change in culture and investments in people and it’s a journey that requires partners and a culture of experimentation. It’s a journey that requires the means to disrupt the status quo and re-engineer your entire business model. A journey where you need to rethink how we create value and all of this journey becomes the cornerstone for discovering new technology that for those developments and investment.

Manufacturing is a central pillar of the world economy with a direct contribution of 16 per cent of global GDP, making it one of the key engines of economic growth

The first strategic panel of the conference, "Investing to ensure the future of manufacturing in a transitioning energy system", included: His Excellency Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, Undersecretary Department of Economic Development, United Arab Emirates, Jasim Husain Thabet, Group CEO and Managing Director, TAQA and Ismail Abdulla, CEO, Strata.

“To diversify the economy away from relying on oil, investment will be the main factor for this achievement, so we want to double the GDP portion of industrial from $162 billion to $300 billion,” he said. The panel agreed that attracting potential investors a key element of the UAE’s industrial strategy. “First of all, we have stability here, despite the pandemic, which hit all across the world. When it comes to the UAE in general, we have very strong, well-established infrastructure and now we are improving to make things easier, faster – more efficient. And what matters most for any investor is mathematics. Will you make a profit here? What really matters is the location of the UAE with very strong logistics linking to India, China, Africa and the Middle East. That’s a big ecosystem supporting the seven emirates, which makes it [UAE] an ideal place for investors,” H.E. Al Blooshi said.