ADDED, GE Digital partner to accelerate digital transformation in Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing sector

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GE Digital to accelerate the digital transformation of the emirate’s manufacturing sector.

The agreement was signed by Sameh Abdulla Al Qubaisi, director-general of Economic Affairs at ADDED, and Dr Dalya Al Muthanna, president of GE in the UAE and global chief of Strategy and Operations for GE International Markets, following the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ Forum as part of the UAE’s plans to boost the industrial sector.

Both the organisations will adopt circular economy strategies to drive a more productive, competitive, advanced, and innovative sector while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Al Qubaisi said, “The manufacturing sector is the largest non-oil gross domestic product contributor, with an estimated Dhs83.5bn added to Abu Dhabi’s GDP. Such initiatives with strategic global partners will guide the industrial sector towards playing an even greater role in economic diversification, and thus multiplying contributions to the economy.”

He added, “Abu Dhabi is incentivising manufacturers by empowering them as they transition to Industry 4.0 technologies. We will continue to support and pave the way for the industries of the future based on sustainable, smart, innovative methods and practices”.

Through this agreement, GE Digital will provide its expertise to accelerate the pace of technological transformation in the industrial sector and share best practices for designing and launching incentive packages to advance the shift towards applications of the Industry 4.0, support the UAE Sustainability and circular economy initiatives. GE Digital will also work closely together with ADDED to provide skillset development programmes to increase diversified technical knowledge in the manufacturing community, aligned with Abu Dhabi Government’s vision to upskill human capital and enable a future-ready workforce.

Al Muthanna said, “Through its continuous digital transformation, the manufacturing sector in the UAE is in a strong position to drive greater productivity and efficiency, lower total cost of ownership, and increase profitability. We are pleased to partner with ADDED to advance Abu Dhabi and UAE’s position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by leveraging innovative solutions while also contributing to nurturing a knowledge economy. Additionally, we will work together with ADDED to drive the adoption of circular manufacturing operations for a more sustainable future for all.”

Meanwhile, the UAE’s manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in the diversification of the national economy, with Abu Dhabi accounting for 40 per cent of that and having invested more than Dhs51bn over the past 15 years to establish a robust industrial infrastructure. Such initiative ADDED and GE Digital aim to expedite the adoption of circular manufacturing operations and implement the efficiencies of technology offered by Industry 4.0 advancements.

Read: Make it in the Emirates Forum: UAE companies launch 300 products, allocate Dhs110bn to support manufacturing

Also read: UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology launches Make it in the Emirates Lab