Promoting the use of technologies and solutions for business operations.
The Singapore Business Federation and government agency — JTC, will work together to support manufacturers with their Industry 4.0 journey or to scale their current efforts through the adoption of technologies and solutioning for business operations.
This initiative will provide companies that are keen in furthering their Industry 4.0 ambitions access to relevant Industry 4.0 related resources.
These include curated workshops, capability building initiatives tailored to companies’ digital readiness, and link-ups to a larger pool of technology partners such as Siemens, Bosch Rexroth, Konica Minolta, Singapore Precision Engineering & Technology Association (SPETA) and its consortiums (SiTA, iSMART and iSAMS), for solution matching to help companies develop the expertise to implement and scale Industry 4.0 solutions in their operations.
Over 300 companies are expected to be supported under this initiative and undergo Industry 4.0 transformation in the next two years. This will help them to develop new capabilities for their workforce, enhance its productivity and ensure long-term competitiveness.
This new collaboration will allow JTC and SBF’s combined network of companies to more easily access relevant Industry 4.0 resources across JTC and SBF’s networks and platforms. Together with partners, joint engagement sessions will be conducted for companies, where experiences can be shared to further strengthen the various initiatives and encourage higher adoption of solutions for businesses to scale up their Industry 4.0 capabilities.
Companies can participate in curated training workshops and capability building programmes tailored to their level of Industry 4.0 readiness, and develop roadmaps to guide their implementation. They will gain access to successful case studies and embark on learning journeys at Factories of the Future, giving them greater exposure to Industry 4.0 solutions in real production facilities. This will further encourage companies to transform and remain competitive amidst the pandemic.
For example, through the recommendation of JTC, Seng Hua Hng Foodstuff participated in SBF’s Industry 4.0 Human Capital Initiative (IHCI) Enabler Programme, which is supported by the Workforce Singapore, to optimise the performance of its equipment.
As a result, the company, popularly known for its Camel Nuts products, put in place a digital performance engine to enable real-time data collection and monitoring of its automated production line. Through targeted interventions and performance management, they were able to achieve a 16 per cent increase in output.
Building a collaborative community through Industry Connect to help businesses capture new Industry 4.0 opportunities
The partnership with SBF is part of JTC’s ongoing efforts to build a collaborative community that can help companies to stay ahead of the curve. In January this year, JTC launched the Industry Connect Initiative to help businesses across its estates grow through technology adoption while enhancing talent development and environmental sustainability. With over 14,000 customers, JTC can effectively promote business transformation to these companies by connecting them to solutions providers, trade associations, and government agencies.
To date, over 1,000 Singapore businesses in JTC’s estates have been engaged through various Industry 4.0 outreach initiatives, with around 200 companies embarking on their Industry 4.0 journey. Leading players in the business community are sharing relevant technologies and experience to address problems faced by various industries. This has created new opportunities for businesses and their workers.
For example, Osteopore International, a local medtech SME that manufactures 3D-printed bone regenerating implants was able to redesign their process flow to improve productivity after participating in Industry 4.0 programme.
During the circuit breaker, their output doubled despite operating at half strength. Encouraged by the results, Osteopore aims to further automate the production process to allow 24/7 operations by early next year, bringing about higher overall equipment efficiency and productivity. They also continue to hire and train new workers of all ages to perform higher value-add roles such as research and development, 3D-printing production, and quality control.
Dr Lim Jing, CTO Osteopore International, said the company embarked on the Industry 4.0 programme by McKinsey.
“This has helped to shed light on the Industry 4.0 roadmap and assisted us in formulating the blueprint for digitalisation,” he said. “We managed to identify key stakeholders for this transformation journey, all of whom are critical to effect successful transformation. This will allow us to be competitive in the global landscape, as well as demonstrate the technology competency and resilience of local companies.”
