Transform 4.0 Launched By MoIAT To Digitalise UAE Manufacturing

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has launched a new initiative, Transform 4.0, at the Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) Forum. This initiative, part of Operation 300bn, aims to accelerate technology transformation across UAE factories. Transform 4.0 will support 100 high-potential manufacturers in digitalisation, creating a group of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) lighthouses over the next three to five years.

Transform 4.0 seeks to position UAE-based manufacturers as global leaders in technology and digital transformation initiatives. It will assist manufacturers in scaling up their digital transformation journey and adopting sustainable manufacturing practices. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between MoIAT, Emirates Development Bank (EDB), and Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du) to drive digital transformation in manufacturing.

The MoU signing was witnessed by Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, and Omar Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. EDB will finance these manufacturers to upscale their digitalisation, while du will be one of the technology partners supporting manufacturers in developing and implementing the digitalisation roadmap.

The first manufacturer onboarded onto Transform 4.0 was ACME, a company that develops automation solutions for various sectors. ACME signed an agreement with du and EDB during the forum to start its digital transformation journey under the programme.

An MoU was also signed between MoIAT and Industry Apps, a newly established company in the UAE that supports companies in raising their digital maturity through an innovative digital platform. Companies enrolled in Transform 4.0 will have access to Industry Apps’ dynamic range of apps to help scale their digital transformation smoothly, alongside free services worth AED5.5 million from the company.

Other manufacturers onboarded onto the programme include Hotpack Global, Mercatus MEA, Modern Plastics Industries, Hempel Paints, Ittihad Paper Mill (IPM), HIRA Industries, Star Paper Mill, Abu Dhabi Precast, Emirates Float Glass, Lipton, Al Gharbia Pipeline, Aquachemie, iPlast, Aswan Engineering, Agthia Group, Masafi and Union Copper Rod.

MoIAT’s technology partners including Maxbyte and Precast have contributed AED10 million worth of services to support the Transform 4.0 programme. Commenting on Transform 4.0, Al Amiri said that the UAE is at the forefront of integrating digital and physical manufacturing worlds.

She added that launching Transform 4.0 will support manufacturers, including SMEs, in adopting state-of-the-art digital tools while propelling UAE industry towards increased productivity, efficiency and competitiveness in line with Operation 300bn. The MIITE Forum takes place from 27th-28th May under Operation 300bn with the theme ‘Invest. Innovate. Grow’.

The annual platform showcases enablers and investment opportunities within the UAE’s industrial sector, highlighting flagship initiatives including Make it in the Emirates, the National ICV Programme, and the Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI). The forum serves as a platform for major announcements and investment opportunities in the industrial sector.

Building on AED120 billion of investment opportunities created by previous forums, this year’s MIITE Forum continues to highlight significant developments within the UAE’s industrial landscape.

With inputs from WAM