Time for next stage of Industry 4.0 in Asean

By DASHVEENJIT KAUR / Pic By TMR File

The semiconductor industry in the South-East Asian region should embrace digitalisation as an integral component in manufacturing, said SEMI South-East Asia Pte Ltd.

SEMI — an association representing semiconductor manufacturers — said players in the Asean region need to step up and embrace the next evolution of Industry 4.0, as smart manufacturing can reduce cost, boost productivity and improve quality in microelectronics manufacturing.

“Transitioning to smart manufacturing for the South-East Asian region is no longer a question of how, but a question of when — given the pivotal nature this industry has to the region’s economic wellbeing.

“The semiconductor industry is a proactive front-runner when it comes to implementation of all aspects of smart manufacturing in a fast-changing, highly competitive and innovative industry environment where innovation, collaboration and cross-industry development is key,” its president Ng Kai Fai (picture) said in a statement yesterday.

He said the complexity and precision of the industry’s current processes and equipment present numerous challenges, which are opportunities for improvements via various smart manufacturing concepts.

“A key to realising these opportunities will be our ability to formulate a unified plan when adopting the various technologies associated with smart manufacturing as it pushes for a more resilient and innovative economic community,” he added.

Given this backdrop, SEMI has placed smart manufacturing at the centre of its upcoming exhibition, SEMICON South-East Asia 2019, the region’s premier gathering of the global electronics manufacturing supply chain.

To be held in Malaysia for the fifth time, SEMICON South-East Asia will pave the way for conversations and business opportunities for industry players in and around the region.

“Beyond an exhibition, the show connects industry players, industry experts, small and medium enterprises, private and public partners, as well as engineering graduates, and expounds the need to collaborate in this growing industry.

“So, I believe connecting like-minded professionals from the semiconductor sector is key in ensuring the industry propels forward cohesively, especially given the ‘compulsory’ nature of transitioning to smart manufacturing,” he said.

In 2018, Ng said there were close to 8,000 delegates from 15 countries who attended the exhibition, resulting in business matchings with foreign buyers with almost US$400 million (RM1.64 billion) in generated sales.

Scheduled to be held on May 7-9 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, SEMI is expecting more than 9,000 delegates this year.