Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction – Collaboration necessary for Industry 4.0 transformation

1. A very warm welcome to Jurong Innovation District. Many of you today here are familiar with Industry 4.0. It is not a new concept and has been around since 2010. Unfortunately, after more than 11 years, many businesses still find it challenging to get to Industry 4.0. Some reasons include the difficulty in integrating devices and legacy systems, or the lack of talent needed to fill skill gaps.
   
   
2. Yet, we see many SMEs wanting to transform their businesses, but lack connections and require guidance on how they can start. What they need are close collaboration with partners that have the right set of expertise, and this is vital for Singapore’s manufacturing sector to rise to the next level.

JTC is supporting the Manufacturing 2030 vision by building collaborative ecosystems in our estates

3. To support Singapore’s Manufacturing 2030 vision we will hope to attract high-value investments and advanced manufacturing facilities, as well as build ecosystems within our estates to encourage constant innovation and collaboration.
   
   
4. Jurong Innovation District (JID) is gaining good momentum to becoming Asia’s leading advanced manufacturing hub. Today, the District is home to a growing ecosystem of leading players across the value chain including research institutes and capability developers, advanced manufacturers and factories of the future, Industry 4.0 solution providers, as well as training providers and Institutes of Higher Learning.
   
   
5. To support business transformation, JTC’s Industry Connect initiative will drive 3 key pillars namely technology adoption, talent development, and environmental sustainability in JTC estates by connecting companies, especially SMEs, to solutions providers, trade associations and government agencies.
   
   
6. Thus far, we have received good response from companies who have benefited. To date, more than 1,000 businesses in JTC estates have participated in various Industry 4.0 outreach initiatives, and we have seen 250 companies start their digitalisation journey.
   
   
7. We are therefore now ready to take the next step to further help companies, through the setting up of an Industry Connect Office @ JID, a physical space that provides one-stop assistance for companies who want to quicken their Industry 4.0 transformation. This will give SMEs a space where they can easily access experts who can help them develop new capabilities and upskill their staff.

Conclusion

8. On this note, I’d like to thank our partners for joining us on this meaningful journey. As we continue to strengthen our manufacturing sector, I encourage more companies to embrace and partner us in these initiatives. Thank you.