A great leap toward Industry 4.0 – now and beyond

HKPC new initiatives fast-track Hong Kong industry’s drive to advanced manufacturing era

Industry 4.0, or i4.0, has become the compass for reindustrialization in many industrialized economies since the German Government first touted the concept in 2011. The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), champion of i4.0 through partnering with local and international heavyweights, recently unveiled a series of new initiatives to expedite Hong Kong’s reindustrialization, encourage advanced manufacturing and promote technology transfer to pivot the city’s transformation into an international innovation center.

The HKPC is Hong Kong’s first i4.0 expert officially recognized by the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (Fraunhofer IPT) — one of the principal architects of the i4.0 concept. It strives to ensure Hong Kong enterprises’ smooth transformation into i4.0, reaping the benefits of increased efficiency and lowered operational costs, to boost competitiveness in the digital era.

As efforts to further equip local industries, HKPC and the Invention Centre Germany — initiated by Fraunhofer IPT, KEX Knowledge Exchange AG (KEX) and RWTH Aachen Campus (RWTH) — have joined forces to set up the INC Invention Centre (THE HATCH) to provide firstof-its-kind design thinking workshops throughout Asia. Among them, RWTH is one of the largest research environments in Europe and home to more than 400 research and development (R&D) companies.

Located at the HKPC, THE HATCH is the first invention center established by Fraunhofer IPT in Asia. It will upgrade Hong Kong enterprises on smart products and services invention, allowing them to respond with timeliness and agility toward industry development and prototyping. With the use of top-of-the-edge expertise, technology network and facilities of HKPC, Fraunhofer IPT, KEX, and RWTH, Hong Kong companies will be supported by strong forces.

In addition, the HKPC and RWTH also signed a collaborative agreement in promoting the campus’ laboratory-based R&D presence in Hong Kong, with the establishment of an AI and Robotics Research Centre as the initial step. In future, the industry can expect the other RWTH research laboratories and technology centers, such as data analytics and additive manufacturing, to replicate in town.

At the recent unveiling ceremony of “A Great Leap Toward Industry 4.0 – Now and Beyond”, the HKPC led 13 leading local chambers and public institutions for the pledging of the “Reindustrialization and Industry 4.0” Charter, to foster reindustrialization and transformation to i4.0 for enterprises in Hong Kong and elsewhere in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Willy Lin Sun-mo, the HKPC Chairman said at the ceremony, “These industryshaping initiatives will allow Hong Kong manufacturers to react with agility and timeliness in formulating the best game plans to meet market needs. HKPC acts as the ‘implementer’ in offering state-of-theart technologies and innovation, as well as comprehensive, cost effective industry solutions to expedite reindustrialization and i4.0 for Hong Kong companies – contributing to Hong Kong’s transformation into an international innovation center.”

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who witnessed the abovementioned significant initiatives at the ceremony, said, “The HKPC has been providing steadfast support to local industries to upgrade their production process and promote reindustrialization. I encourage Hong Kong enterprises to make good use of the services of the HKPC and the Invention Centre to move up the value-chain. I am confident that our industry will continue to leverage our world-class R&D capabilities and the ‘Made in Hong Kong’ brands to re-invigorate Hong Kong’s industrial development.”

The HKPC has been sparing no efforts in raising local awareness of i4.0 and enhancing the relevant skills of practitioners in the industry, building up the urgency and creating the favourable conditions for local enterprises to start the migration from the traditional process-driven approach, toward the fully automated and digitaldriven i4.0 era.

The two parties – the HKPC and Fraunhofer IPT jointly devised an i4.0 Upgrade and Recognition Programme for local manufacturers to advance their operations, with die-casting and molding company Ka Shui International Holdings Limited recently becoming the first Hong Kong company to achieve i4.0 1i maturity level under the Programme. Its Chairman Lee Yuet-fat was presented a certificate at the ceremony as a recognition to the company’s efforts and achievement.

What’s more, the HKPC’s training arm, the HKPC Academy, has introduced i4.0-related technology training courses through the HKSAR Government’s subsidized “Reindustrialisation and Technology Training Programme” (RTTP) to nurture local technology talents.