HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT
The 2nd IFC Global Manufacturing Conference brought leading firms with a significant footprint in emerging markets together with government officials and international experts to network, share experiences and discuss opportunities and challenges of harnessing technology for development.
Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast
We are in the midst of a head-spinning cultural and technological era of change that is disrupting how we think and behave, and at the same time providing extraordinary opportunities for countries, industries and visionaries around the world, keynote speaker Jim Carroll told the audience.
Impact of Policy on Technology
What are the lessons that can be drawn from the remarkable success of the Asian Miracle economies of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and others over the past half century, moderator Ian Welsh asked economists Reda Cherif and Fuad Hasanov of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the opening panel.
Adopting Technology in Manufacturing: Country Discussion
Officials from Mexico and Morocco joined with the chairman of the Devki Group of Companies, one of the largest building materials company in East and Central Africa, to discuss steps being taken in the countries where they work to build more complex manufacturing processes and products as a route for boosting growth and opportunities.
Impact of Technology on Labor
Will automation ultimately lead to the creation of new, more fulfilling and higher paying jobs, or will it permanently and painfully displace a whole generation of under-skilled workers? That was at the heart of the discussion at the Impact of Technology on Labor session.
Sustainability in Manufacturing
As sustainability becomes more engrained in corporate governance, manufacturers are becoming increasingly inventive in reducing their environmental footprints. At the Sustainability in Manufacturing panel, representatives from the textile, automotive and chemical industries described some of the green initiatives their companies are pursuing in collaboration with their customers and their value chain partners.
Technology Impact on Products
Thanks to the freer and faster sharing of technology, manufacturers located in far-flung corners of the world are competing in the global economy like never before. Rapid fire digital communications combined with unprecedented technology transfers and sophisticated value chain management is upending the global manufacturing hierarchy and creating a hyper-competitive market where companies are battling to make the best products for the lowest cost, using the fewest number of resources and the most efficient technologies.
Industry 4.0
Automated robotics, artificial intelligence, 5G connectivity, predictive management, data analytics and remote maintenance are just some of the technologies making the factories of the future. Participants in the Industry 4.0 and Process Improvements through Technology panel discussed how their companies are embracing advanced technologies to improve efficiencies, cut costs and create safer workplaces that provide greater opportunities for their employees.
Developing Value Chains Through Technology
From low cost sensors that can ensure the quality of products, to instantaneous communications with suppliers and sophisticated inventory tracking analytics, manufacturers today are finding an unprecedented number of technologies to help them improve the efficiency, integrity and transparency of their value chains and propel their companies into more and more sophisticated sectors.
