With manufacturing growing in prominence in the UAE and wider MEA region in line with ambitious government targets, Infor, the industry cloud company, is set to highlight the need for manufacturers to implement the right smart factory solutions and strategies to transform their operations at the IDC Middle East CIO Summit on February 22-23 in Dubai.
Manufacturing is increasingly under the spotlight in Middle East, especially in the UAE and Saudi Arabia whose governments have identified it as a key sector for development.
In the UAE, national initiatives such as the government’s “Operation 300bn” strategy aim to increase the industrial sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) to AED 300 billion (US $81.7 billion) by 2031, and the government is increasingly keen to use technologies such as artificial intelligence to help propel the sector to new heights.
In Saudi Arabia, the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a leading industrial powerhouse and a global logistics hub, by maximising the value of its mining and energy sectors while unlocking the full potential of local content and the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Manufacturing companies in the region are also investing heavily, with some 71% of manufacturers in the MEA region pursuing a digital-first approach to business, according to an IDC Technology Spotlight commissioned by Infor. However, many are also experiencing challenges, with 64% of manufacturers still using spreadsheets and standalone applications to manage their supply chains, and 58% citing speed and scale as a key challenge hindering their digital evolution, according to the same report.
Amid these challenges, it is vital that manufacturers in the region adopt the right digital strategy to gain the full advantages of digitisation and tap the opportunities for growth.
At the IDC Middle East CIO Summit, Pranish Kushare, Infor’s senior principal solutions consultant for Middle East and Africa, will deliver a presentation on how organisations can develop an effective roadmap to become smart manufacturers that are truly connected and collaborative, allowing them to gain visibility and control of their operations and interact seamlessly with their partners.
“Industry 4.0 is ushering in a new digital reality that will change the rules of production, operations, and workforce — maybe even society. It’s important for manufacturers in the region to understand the opportunities that stem from Industry 4.0’s ability to connect their customers, supply chain network, plant and equipment as well as their employees to drive predictable revenues, in addition to what’s coming next,” Kushare said.
“Many manufacturers go all-in for digitisation but forget to take a step back and develop a genuine, nuanced digital strategy and an effective roadmap to achieve it. It’s vital that manufacturers take a holistic approach to their digitisation to reap the full advantages, and in the process contribute to the wider transformation of the region.”
“Across the region, global headwinds are reinforcing the critical need for resiliency and agility in the manufacturing process,” says Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. “These external disruptions are relentlessly threatening the continuity of operations, serving as a catalyst for the digitalisation of production. In times of uncertainty, digitally mature companies consistently outperform their peers in minimising risk and capitalising on new opportunities. As such, the desire to thrive in an increasingly digitalised world is accelerating the spread of digital transformation across the region’s manufacturing industries.”
Infor works with various manufacturers in the region including Metito, the Abu Dhabi-based leader in sustainable water management and alternative energy solutions. Driven by population growth and investment in megaprojects, water demand is set to rise by 62% by 2025 in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Metito deployed Infor’s ERP to enhance its business processes. It simplifies and automates operations to increase visibility to enable more efficient response times to customers, suppliers, and regulatory needs. Also, Supertech Group, a UAE-based diversified conglomerate, has digitally transformed with Infor ERP software for manufacturing, enhancing its ability to meet growing demand for industrial products and discrete manufacturing across sectors.
Saudi Lime is a Saudi producer and supplier of limestone products, deploying Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise (on AWS) to optimally meet surging demand for its products from sectors including construction, iron & steel, glass production, mining, and agriculture in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It’s digital transformation strategy (SPARK) involves simplifying its operations, raising efficiency, and capturing and analysing valuable data to gain operational and market insights to further improve performance.
Kushare’s session, “Evolving Beyond Industry 4.0, Leveraging AI, Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies” will take place at 13:15 and 15:20 on February 22 and at 11:20 on February 23 at the IDC Middle East CIO Summit, at the Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah.
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