MTDC FOCUSES ON ROBOTICS SEGMENT TO HELP MSMES EMBRACE DIGITALISATION, I4.0

By Siti Noor Afera Abu

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 -- The Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) has placed emphasis on the robotics segment to ensure that local companies, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), are ready to adapt to digitalisation and technological advances in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (i4.0). 

Chief executive officer Datuk Norhalim Yunus said the strategic move could be driven through joint engagement with companies within the MTDC ecosystem.

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He said MTDC provides recipients of the agency’s funds not only with financial assistance but also financial management, business development and training for employees in the required fields.

“Following our emphasis on MSME companies, we found that to be competitive, among the aspects that they need to excel are producing more competitive products and sometimes they need expertise in the field of automation and robotics.

"So, we are looking at programmes to help entrepreneurs improve their technology towards Industry 4.0,” he told Bernama.

Norhalim said MTDC, as an implementing agency, needs to start the journey towards i4.0 by focusing on the development of companies under its ambit and enabling them to become i4.0 companies in the future.

He said MTDC capitalises on its multilateral cooperation with several ministries, as well as stakeholders in ensuring i4.0 technologies could be utilised as much as possible among MSMEs in the country.

He said the move would also allow the companies involved to share their expertise on i4.0 with MSME players as being done by TechCapital Resources Sdn Bhd, a company that provides robotic technology software and facilities.

MTDC is assisting TechCapital collaborate with MSME entrepreneurs in the process of technology transfer, distribution and joint ventures, as well as providing technology-related training, he added.

"TechCapital not only conducts training programmes for local entrepreneurs, but also teachers and lecturers to create awareness on automation needs, such as how robotics operate, and the training is not merely from the academic point of view," he said.

TechCapital produces a special solution known as T-Robot that integrates robotics and automation technologies for both hardware and software..

T-Robot produces robotics technology that increases the workforce efficiency of local entrepreneurs, especially that of MSMEs.

At the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai, TechCapital inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Terrabit Consulting DWC-LLC (India) as the project delivery partner for T-Robot.

It also sealed another MoU with Shaheena Foodstuffs Trading (United Arab Emirates) in the field of robotics cooperation, smart manufacturing solutions, Internet of Things (IOT), and artificial intelligence (AI).

MTDC's participation in Expo 2020 Dubai Week 2 recently was led by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) with the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre (MGTC) as the implementing agency.

TechCapital chief executive officer Eugene Ng Keng Long said the signing of the two MoUs signified a strong relationship the company has with its global business partners.

“We’d received financial assistance (from MTDC) in the form of a Business Start-up Fund (BSF) of RM4.4 million.

"Of course, the financial assistance is the main thing but it also enabled us to build business network overseas such as in Oman, the Middle East, and Tanzania," he said, adding that the collaboration with MTDC has given the company an opportunity to expand its expertise.

He said the company aims to market its products widely in Dubai via MoUs as Malaysia is a good gateway to export products and services to the Middle East.

-- BERNAMA