Over the next three years, 1,000 local businesses will receive support in their digital transformation efforts, including access to technology and training partners, the development of new capabilities, and job redesign.
JTC Corporation recently developed the Industry Connect Office located at Jurong Innovation District (JID) as a one-stop shop to assist more manufacturers, particularly local small and medium-sized businesses, in accelerating their transformation. Companies can learn more about Industry 4.0 – the digital transformation of manufacturing and production processes – at the new office, according to JTC, through sharing sessions and seminars. To adopt new technologies and upskill their employees, 300 of the 1,000 enterprises targeted are expected to undertake diagnostics, consulting, and training services.
The location of the office in JID, which is an advanced manufacturing ecosystem comprising research institutions, technology and training enablers, and future factories, will also benefit these companies, according to JTC.
“With this office, companies will be able to have access to one-stop assistance to start, scale and sustain their Industry 4.0 transformation.”
Manufacturing is an essential sector for Singapore, according to Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, who spoke during the opening of the new headquarters on Tuesday. It accounts for roughly 20% of the Republic’s total domestic product (GDP). The industry employed 450,000 workers last year. While Singapore’s real GDP fell by 5.4% in the same year, the manufacturing sector increased by 7.3%.
“Manufacturing also helps to generate additional economic activity as investors extend out to perform research and development and headquarters activities such as supply chain management here in Singapore,” Mr Gan continued, describing the sector as resilient. According to him, the opening of the Industry Connect Office is a significant step forward in our Industry 4.0 transformation.
At the new Industry Connect Office, JTC will collaborate with the Advanced Manufacturing Training Academy (AMTA) to provide consulting and advisory services on Industry 4.0 skills and training. “Companies that are keen to further their Industry 4.0 ambitions will be matched with technology and training partners to identify their problem statements, pinpoint suitable solutions, and participate in upskilling programmes,” JTC said.
The Industry 4.0 Human Capital Initiative will help enterprises adopt and expand their Industry 4.0 solutions as part of the Industry Connect Office’s outreach initiatives. They can, for example, identify the best partners to assist organisations in implementing customised solutions and training, upskilling, or reskilling their employees.
Workforce Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation have collaborated on the Industry 4.0 Human Capital Initiative. Tan Boon Khai, JTC’s chief executive, said his company wants to assist more businesses in Singapore and the region embrace digitalisation and seizing new growth prospects.
“The new collaboration with Advanced Manufacturing Training Academy (AMTA) will strengthen our network of Industry 4.0 partners and serves as a significant milestone to drive the next phase of business transformation,” he noted. Mr Lee Kok Choy, who is AMTA chairman, added, “To strengthen Singapore’s competitiveness in manufacturing, we have to embrace Industry 4.0 leading to advanced manufacturing.”
OpenGov Asia reported Singapore has left a true mark of success over the last few decades and is recognised around the world as one of the leading financial hubs with a thriving digital economy, successful commodity trading practices, and more. It is evident that the industrial realm in Singapore is playing a specific role and proactively generating productive results to support this cause.
Industrially, IIoT (Industrial IoT) and Automation technologies have paved the way for the establishment of Smart Factories in Industry 4.0 – where the physical and digital worlds come into contact. Despite the fact that technological advancements have greatly improved living standards, we will focus on how Singapore dreamt of industrial development and how they prepared to make their dreams a reality.
Singapore’s national research agency has established a new lab in collaboration with a local manufacturing software company to assist manufacturers in strengthening their Industry 4.0 capabilities. The S$ 18m lab, set up by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and Singapore’s local manufacturing company, will imbue the latter’s manufacturing execution systems with artificial intelligence (AI) and industrial internet of things (IIoT) capabilities.
