GMIS teams up with SAP to boost smart manufacturing and supply chain resilience

Partnership will explore ways to develop more connected, autonomous and adaptable production systems and factories

Pepper, an IBM robot that runs its Watson artificial intelligence system, at a previous edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit in Abu Dhabi. Delores Johnson / The National

The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit and enterprise software developer SAP have teamed up to explore how smart manufacturing technologies can be used to support the digital transformation of industries and promote supply chain resilience globally.

SAP will use its experience in advanced technology development and the deployment of Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions to demonstrate how businesses can benefit from more connected, autonomous and adaptable industrial ecosystems. This will be done by replacing traditional production systems with digitally enabled manufacturing processes and future-ready factories, according to a statement from GMIS on Saturday.

“SAP has five decades of experience helping manufacturers adapt to rapidly changing digital environments and reach new levels of digital transformation,” Sergio Maccotta, senior vice president for the Middle East South at SAP, said.

“As disruptive technologies continue to alter the traditional ways of working across factories and industrial plants, we are delighted to partner with GMIS to support and accelerate the next phase of supply chain transformation.”

The UAE will host the fourth GMIS from November 22 to 23 at the Expo 2020 Dubai site, followed by other events and conferences from November 24 to 27. This year’s theme is Rewiring Societies: Repurposing Digitisation for Prosperity.

The six-day event will see more than 125 global leaders from the public and private sectors convening to explore the latest advances in manufacturing technologies.

The conference is expected to provide a platform for leaders to discuss the trends shaping the future of industry, as global businesses rapidly embrace digitalisation, shape new business models and revitalise operations, GMIS said in a statement.

GMIS and SAP will collaborate to highlight opportunities in global supply chain management, including the application of the Internet of Things, machine learning and analytics, to help manufacturers improve operational efficiency, raise productivity and build sustainable business models, according to the statement.

“Together, we hope to deliver cutting-edge insights on industrial innovation and support manufacturers specialising in every sector, from aerospace to electronics and automotive to consumer goods,” Badr Al-Olama, head of the GMIS organising committee, said.

The first two editions of the GMIS were held in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2019. The third was held virtually in September last year.