3
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17,
INDUSTRIALISTS URGED TO INVEST IN AUTOMATION
*
1988
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY,
MR PIERS
TODAY JACOBS,
(THURSDAY)
IN ORDER ΤΟ
IN SECTOR
THE
CALLED UPON INDUSTRIALISTS TO INVEST MORE IN AUTOMATION
MANUFACTURING THE STRENGTHEN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF
LONGER TERM.
HE WAS
OFFICIATING
AT
THE
OPENING
OF THE
AUTOMATION
'88
CONFERENCE JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS, THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.
WERE MR JACOBS SAID THAT HONG KONG'S COMPETITORS IN THE REGION
STEADILY IMPROVING GEARING UP THEIR PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES AND WERE
HONG
MARKETS KONG'S OVERSEAS THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL COMPETENCE, WHILE
MORE RELIABLE AND BETTER DESIGNED WERE DEMANDING BETTER QUALITY, PRODUCTS.
ARE FACING
"AT HOME, MANUFACTURERS LIMITED RESOURCES FROM OTHER SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY.
COMPETITION GROWING
FOR
INDUSTRIALISTS
HAVE SURVIVE
AND "THESE ARE ALL FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO DEAL WITH THEM SQUARELY IF THEY WISH TO IN MANUFACTURING," HE ADDED.
BE AN OBSTACLE CHARACTERISED HONG
TECHNOLOGIES
WERB
TURNING TO THE ARGUMENT THAT AUTOMATION COULD
OF RESPONSE WHICH TO THE FLEXIBILITY AND SPEED KONG'S INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, MR JACOBS SAID THAT CHANGING TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE NEED FOR FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING.
WHICH
SYSTEMS
SACRIFICING
A
OF
WILL ENABLE THERE
MANY ARE "NOWADAYS, MANUFACTURER TO INCREASE CAPACITY, RAISE PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCE WASTAGE,
THAT NIMBLENESS AND ACHIEVE BETTER QUALITY, WITHOUT
OURS, HE RESPONSE THAT IS SO ESSENTIAL IN A DYNAMIC ECONOMY SUCH AS SAID.
SUPPORT UPON GREATER
AND VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL GOVERNMENT HE SAID THAT THE ORGANISATIONS WOULD ALSO ASSIST MANUFACTURERS TO EMBARK MECHANISATION.
DEVELOPED
THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL HAS LOW-COST AUTOMATION SYSTEMS DESIGNED FOR USE BY SMALL AND MANUFACTURERS.
A
RANGE MEDIUM-SIZE
OF
OPERATE THE THE TERTIARY
THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL TRAINS WORKERS TO
MACHINES, WHILE NEW GENERATION OF COMPUTER-CONTROLLED
AND ENGINEERS EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ARE EDUCATING THE THE FUTURE.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, SUCH AS THE INSTITUTE OF
ENGINEERS, ARE ALSO HELPING TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE JACOBS SAID.
MANAGERS
OF
INDUSTRIAL
OF AUTOMATION, MR
14