During the Make It in the Emirates summit in Abu Dhabi, the region’s first-of-its-kind Smart Manufacturing Competence Centre (SMCC) and an incentive program for small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) were unveiled.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) announced the announcements to ease the transition to Industry 4.0 and intelligent manufacturing. The initiatives are a part of the 34 initiatives that the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of ADDED has identified as necessary to accomplish the goals of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy. For local and international industry stakeholders, the smart center will catalyze the creation of an innovative and sustainable environment. It will function as a one-stop-shop and focus on industry 4.0 technologies to assist manufacturers in their journey toward digitization. It is anticipated to begin operations in the first quarter of 2024. In the meantime, the smart program aims to convert 30% of current industrial SMEs to industry 4.0 techniques in five years. A Dh500 million fund supports the program to boost productivity, technological adoption, and Abu Dhabi’s international competitiveness. It will be put into action in conjunction with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development. It will allow the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy’s six transformative programs to be implemented successfully: industry 4.0, the circular economy, talent development, ecosystem enablement, domestic supply chain development, and value chain development.
To more than quadruple the size of its manufacturing sector to Dh172 billion, generate 13,600 skilled jobs, and increase the emirate’s non-oil exports to Dh178.8 billion by 2031, Abu Dhabi is investing Dh10 billion across these programs.
“The launch of these two new initiatives is a valuable addition to our efforts to turbocharge the next phase of a diversification strategy, as we believe supporting the transition to industry 4.0 will positively contribute to driving innovation, enhancing the growth of knowledge-based sectors, and increasing non-oil GDP,” said Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED.
Al Zaabi emphasized that the creation of the smart program, which includes a Dh500 million fund, demonstrates ADDED’s efforts to foster an environment conducive to investment and to give financial support for SME manufacturers’ transition to industry 4.0 applications.
“In the end, this will increase the industrial sector’s competitiveness, assist the attraction of domestic and foreign direct investments, and solidify Abu Dhabi’s position as a premier industrial powerhouse. We are still committed to enabling business owners and investors to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by Abu Dhabi’s strong, resilient, and business-friendly ecosystem. This will support our efforts to realize a comprehensive socio-economic development prioritizing innovation, human development, and sustainability.
