Further boost for UAE manufacturing

Tawazun, the strategic investment firm focused on the long-term development of UAE's industrial manufacturing and technology capabilities, today announced a strategic partnership with the upcoming Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), a global gathering for manufacturing minds and a voice and a venue for global manufacturing transformation.

The Abu Dhabi organisation has established itself as an active industrial investor both locally and internationally by selectively partnering with world-class market leaders to build skills, expertise, products and systems in the UAE.

The strategic partnership with the GMIS is aligned with the recent announcement by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, of the UAE’s plan to attract over US$70 billion in industrial investments by 2025. This will help boost the manufacturing sector’s GDP contribution from its current 16 per cent to 25 per cent by 2025 – establishing it as a core driving force behind the UAE’s continued economic growth.

Established in 2007 by the Tawazun Economic Council, Tawazun is tasked with developing ventures through industrial partnerships and strategic investments, focusing on a number of areas including defence and aerospace, automotive, munitions, metals, and technology; and driving innovation through investment in research and development, and ensuring technology transfer through strategic alliances.

The partnership with the GMIS will enable Tawazun to explore opportunities to develop new manufacturing opportunities in these areas, and promote its current portfolio of businesses to reach new markets in an increasingly globalised and digitised economy.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Saif al Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer of Tawazun, said: "At Tawazun, we have set out with a clear mission to develop manufacturing capabilities that contribute to the transformation of the UAE into a globally recognised centre of manufacturing excellence.

''We aim to achieve this through global partnerships and constructive relationships, and by partnering with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, we believe we can help drive this manufacturing ambition to its next phase of development – what is known worldwide as Industry 4.0," he added.

Al Hajeri continued by saying: "As the sector continuously evolves, we must position the UAE at the forefront of this change and enable our manufacturing businesses to take advantage of new technologies and processes, so that they can create jobs and economic opportunities to strengthen the global competitiveness of the UAE."

Organised by the UAE Ministry of Economy and co-hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the GMIS is the world’s first global gathering for the manufacturing community, bringing together leaders in business, government and civil society in Abu Dhabi in March 2017.

Badr Al Olama, a member of the event's organising committee and the CEO of Strata Manufacturing, said: "Partnering with Tawazun was a natural fit for the summit. Our objectives for GMIS adhere closely to that of Tawazun- we both strive to grow the manufacturing sector and support industrial infrastructure development. We both share a clear focus on building long-term links with global stakeholders across industry, policymaking and civil society, and we are both fully aligned in our aims to ensure technology, and knowledge-transfer, become the key pillars of our strategic growth."

Organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the GMIS will set an outcome-driven agenda for the manufacturing sector, addressing pressing global challenges including driving sustainable economic growth, defining new skills for future employment, and tackling global resourcing and environmental challenges. Discussions will aim to focus on how to shape the future of the manufacturing sector for the benefit of communities and societies alike, leveraging the developments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – and driven by technology, the internet, data availability, and customer experience.

The GMIS will be held at the Paris-Sorbonne - Abu Dhabi from March 27-30, 2017 and will bring together leaders from the manufacturing industry across business, government and civil society to shape the future of manufacturing, focusing on the transformational role of technology in global enterprise and the public sector.

More than 1,200 delegates will attend, including world leaders, industry CEOs, policy-makers, specialist researchers and academics. GMIS will deliver (i) a voice for transformational ideas, (ii) a venue for the generation of new networks and cross-industry partnerships, (iii) a showcase for pilot projects arising from cross-industry research, and (iv) a post-event report with recommendations for action to be submitted to global stakeholders.