In a push to accelerate the shift toward the fourth industrial era, Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced the iFactories initiative that aims to transform the country’s industrial sector.
Launched in strategic partnership with Tamkeen, a public authority designed to support Bahrain’s private sector, the initiative outlines an ambitious plan to transform 300 factories into smart ones by 2026.
The iFactories initiative is part of the industrial sector’s broader 2022-2026 strategy, which focuses on assessing the digital readiness of factories, enabling investment in technological infrastructure and promoting manufacturing automation.
Abdullah Fakhro, Bahrain’s minister of industry and commerce, underlined the government’s commitment to enhancing national sectors’ efficiency and global competitiveness.
Tamkeen CEO Maha Mufeez emphasized the initiative’s alignment with the organization’s objectives of driving economic growth through the private sector and elevating Bahraini citizens in the labor market.
Moreover, the partnership is expected to modernize Bahrain’s industrial sector, fostering the adoption of advanced technological solutions, leading to economic growth and job opportunities, Mufeez stated.
The iFactories initiative’s progress will be gauged through the Smart Industry Readiness Index, an international benchmark for assessing factories’ preparedness for the fourth industrial revolution.
The transformation process comprises four stages: self-evaluation, design, empowerment and development.
In the first phase, the ministry will offer advisory and technical support for self-evaluation, followed by assessments from accredited evaluators.
This move will pave the way for factories to develop a comprehensive digital transformation plan and access support and incentives.
The initiative is designed to manage production lines effectively, conserve resources, increase productivity and reduce the dependency on unskilled labor by adopting automated processes and modern technologies.
Khaled Al-Alawi, assistant undersecretary for industrial development, encouraged interested parties to initiate self-assessment using the evaluation guide on the ministry’s website or by directly engaging with the ministry’s industrial affairs specialists.
The iFactories initiative signals Bahrain’s concerted efforts to align its industrial sector with global advancements, further strengthening its position as a competitive player in the fourth industrial revolution.
Source:https://arab.news/768wd