Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has launched Factory Forward UAE, bringing industrial technology programmes that have already supported more than 700 factories under a single national platform aimed at accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies across the manufacturing sector.
The initiative will give manufacturers access to technology assessments, technical expertise, training, financing and technology providers as they seek to modernise operations and introduce Fourth Industrial Revolution tools, including artificial intelligence.
More than 620 factories have already been assessed through the Industrial Technology Transformation Index, one of the programmes now brought under the Factory Forward UAE platform.
The ministry said that the initiative is designed to make existing support easier for manufacturers to access while helping factories identify suitable technologies, find opportunities to improve their operations and put new solutions into use.
Factory Forward UAE forms part of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and supports the objectives of Make it in the Emirates, as the country seeks to expand high-value national industries and attract more industrial investment and partnerships.
It also aims to help factories respond more quickly to market changes, raise productivity and efficiency, compete in local and overseas markets and strengthen industrial supply chains.
Manufacturers at different stages of technology adoption will be able to use the platform to assess their needs and connect with technical experts, technology companies, specialist advisers and financing providers.
Factory Forward UAE will also present examples of successful factory technology projects and practical applications from across the industrial sector, giving manufacturers a clearer view of which solutions have worked elsewhere and how they could be applied to their own operations.
Building a Global Industrial Hub
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said that Factory Forward UAE builds on the ministry’s work to expand technology adoption across the industrial sector and advance the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.
"Guided by our leadership’s vision, the UAE continues to build a competitive industrial sector by investing in people, improving skills and integrating technology across the value chain. This has made the country a global centre for industry and an attractive place for industrial investment.
The ministry will continue working with its partners to build on this progress. Our focus is on helping factories use more advanced technology, including AI, to increase productivity, improve efficiency and compete more effectively."
He added: "Factory Forward UAE builds on the ministry’s work to accelerate technology adoption. It will help more manufacturers use the programmes and support available and encourage them to apply advanced technology in their operations."
The programme comes as the UAE seeks to expand the role of technology across manufacturing and increase the contribution of advanced and high-value industries to the national economy.
By bringing existing initiatives together, the ministry aims to give manufacturers a clearer route from assessing their technological readiness to selecting and financing projects and putting them into operation.
Factory Forward UAE will operate through a network of public and private sector partners covering technology, specialist services and financing.
Technology partners will work with manufacturers to assess the maturity of their operations, identify areas where new technologies could improve performance and determine appropriate next steps.
Enablement partners provide specialist advice, training and knowledge, while financing partners help manufacturers access the funding and investment they need to start and expand their technology projects.
More information is available at factoryforward.moiat.gov.ae.
