Under the guidance of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the manufacturing sector has also experienced an acceleration of growth while playing an important role in the nation’s economic transformation today.
The agency has facilitated and strengthened value-added and technology-abled investments to continuously develop Malaysia as a high-tech nation.
There are, however, organisations globally that have been identified as pacesetters within the industry today known as “lighthouses”.
Lighthouses are unique, having implemented their smart manufacturing journey from pilot to integration; these organisations serve as beacons to guide others in overcoming challenges in production systems by adopting leading-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing and advanced analytics.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has been monitoring these organisations together with McKinsey & Company since 2016 and launched the Global Lighthouse Network in 2018 as a research collaboration to bring together the most advanced factories in the manufacturing world for a cross-company learning journey.
Malaysia has shown promising results – Western Digital Malaysia in Batu Kawan, Penang, has been recognised as a WEF Global Lighthouse Factory, joining the Global Lighthouse Network (GLN) ranks.
Commenting on Western Digital’s Malaysian facility’s achievement, Arham Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, remarked, “This marks the first intelligent factory in the country, and is a testament to the electrical and electronics (E&E) ecosystem, robust talent landscape and the country’s readiness for the fourth industrial revolution (IR4).”
“This presents a great opportunity for more collaborations with small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) on this new front as they embark on this transformation.
Furthermore, more companies in Malaysia will stand to achieve outstanding business results while addressing operational inefficiencies and decreasing environmental footprint through the adoption of IR4 technologies,” added Arham.
Western Digital Malaysia has also taken steps to ensure a future-ready talent pipeline through its comprehensive Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) Academy programme.
This includes strategic partnerships with local universities and international platforms, upskilling and nurturing their employees in new ways of thinking with the adoption of IR4 technologies.
This will equip the current and future workforce with IR4 knowledge and skill sets and create quality job opportunities for all Malaysians.
Its stewardship will extend to extensive economic spillover as a notable beacon company to its supply chain partners and local vendors adopting IR4 technologies.
“Presently, MIDA is taking proactive steps to invite existing MNCs and large local companies (LLCs) from various industries that have undertaken massive transformations in their IR4 journey to achieve the status recognition by WEF” said Arham.
Lighthouse players should be adapting IR4 or smart manufacturing technology to scalable integration while acting as a guide in its supply chain to apply technologies, including additive manufacturing, advanced analytics, autonomous robots and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), to overcome challenges in existing production systems.
This will further support the aspirations of the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP) in driving the adoption of environment, social and governance (ESG) where manufacturing companies can achieve greater operational competitiveness while simultaneously making commitments to business, socio economic and environmental leadership, leading to a cleaner, more sustainable future as a result.
Lighthouse players will have the ability to boost significant impacts to businesses by resetting the benchmark of operational and sustainability levels while encouraging the development of Malaysia’s technologies, products, methodology and services.
Arham concluded, “Looking beyond, Malaysia envisages its dynamic manufacturing and services sectors to reign by technical occupations, innovation capacity, specialised skilled talent pool, high-tech operation assets and enhanced productivity.
MIDA hopes the WEF lighthouse recognition will strengthen Malaysia’s position as a hub for research and development and innovation, high-technology industries and global services.”
For more information, please contact the Advanced Technology and Research & Development Division, MIDA at www.mida.gov.my