Closed Door Dialogue Session with Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry

Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) organised a closed-door dialogue session with Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry on 26 November 2018.

26 November 2018 – “We have to prove that digital manufacturing is inclusive. Then, the true narrative will emerge: Welcome, robots. You'll help us. But humans are still our future.” - Joe Kaeser

Some 200 participants attended the closed-door dialogue session with Dr Koh Poh Koon, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) organised a closed-door dialogue session with Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry on 26 November 2018. Some 200 participants from SMF, fellow Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) and foreign chambers participated in the session and were engaged in a healthy exchange of information between the minister and the public.

Participants such as Ms Joyce Seow (Chairman, Electrical, Electronics and Allied Industries Industry Group, SMF) raised questions that concerns the manufacturing sector.

During the dialogue session, many SMEs raised questions on Industry 4.0 and there were suggestions from business owners to show the “true battleground” of a manufacturing plant that has adopted digital tools. To the SMEs, “Industry 4.0 looks like a monster”.

Dr Koh Poh Koon (right) shared about the Industry 4.0 and how the industry should not put technology first but to concentrate on the skillsets and talents of the workforce. SMF President, Mr Douglas Foo (left) was the moderator for the dialogue session.

Dr Koh shared that technology is but a tool to help the companies meet their competitors. He introduced the Singapore Smart Industry Readiness (SSRI) Index, which was developed by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and TÜV SÜD. Launched in 2017, the SSRI Index is the world’s first Industry 4.0 assessment tool that will help SMEs to evaluate their current processes, system and structure to determine their readiness to adopt Industry 4.0. He urged the SMEs not to put technology first but to concentrate on ensuring the workforce have the skillsets and talent to utilise the tools.

Dr Koh, together with the SMF Council and Secretariat, held a lunch meeting after the dialogue session to discuss about improving the manufacturing sector.

Right after the dialogue session, Dr Koh attended a lunch meeting with SMF’s Council and Secretariat where ideas and suggestions on how to improve the manufacturing sector were discussed.

 

SMF Council and Secretariat took a group photo with the Minister to commemorate this dialogue session.


Go to our Facebook page to view more photos that were taken during the dialogue session and lunch meeting.
 

Share This

Other News