For the UAE to become a manufacturing powerhouse on a truly global scale, the government needs to focus its resources on building an infrastructure that is superior both physically and digitally. And, whilst world-class physical infrastructure is crucial, a digital ecosystem that is inherently sustainable is business critical: in a fast-changing network of global supply chains, manufacturing hubs need to provide agility and immediacy for businesses to remain competitive. With increasing automation up to the edge, data exchange and the use of artificial intelligence and IOT, a cloud computing model that is as dynamic and adaptable as it is cost effective is considered a true enabler to the new realities of the manufacturing sector that is moving to the industry 4.0 era.
Great news for manufacturers around the world is that the UAE is already exceptionally well placed to meet this challenge. It is undoubtedly in one of the world’s most enviable geographical locations: a natural halfway between east and west, connecting the supply chains and markets of Asia with Europe and the Americas. The success of DP World’s Jebel Ali is a testament to what can be achieved in this part of the world – the port is ranked 10th largest container port in the world and has been recognised for 24 consecutive years as the best seaport in the entire Middle East. The UAE already offers manufacturers incredible opportunities thanks to its top-of-the-line physical infrastructure: world-class logistics, free zones, a highly competitive tax regime, transparent regulatory frameworks, and diverse international trade agreements. And, by virtue of being a comparably young country, its digital infrastructure is world leading – the UAE has the highest penetration of fibre broadband in the world and now moving to 5G technologies. The benefits cloud offers manufacturing are endless, and the reality is that manufacturing barely resembles what it used to look like as little as ten years ago. Already in pole position, the UAE’s incredible manufacturing aspirations combined with their adoption of cloud as a concept makes their success of “operation 300bn” well within reach.