XN000022-1993-03-11 — Page 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1993

12

MORE

GOVT SUPPORTS R&D

* * * *

THE APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R & D) SCHEME REPRESENTS THAN SIMPLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR R&D; IN ITS EXPECTATION OF FINANCIAL RETURNS, IT IS A SIGN OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY.

THIS

T

H

THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF INDUSTRY, MR WAS STATED BY BARMA, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG LINKAGE INDUSTRY INTERNATIONAL MACHINE TOOL EXHIBITION '93 TODAY (THURSDAY).

MR

BARMA SAID THE AIM OF THE SCHEME WAS TO ENCOURAGE AND THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY TO UPGRADE.

HELP

FINANCIAL

SUPPORT WOULD BE PROVIDED TO COMPANIES IN HONG

FOR UP

D TO 50 PER CENT OF THE COST OF THEIR APPLIED R & EITHER IN THE FORM OF EQUITY PARTICIPATION OR A LOAN, HE SAID.

KONG

PROJECTS,

RETAIN

MR BARMA SAID HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE WAS CHANGING.

APART FROM RELOCATING LABOUR-INTENSIVE OPERATIONS INTO CHINA TO THEIR UPGRADED PRICE COMPETITIVENESS, MANUFACTURERS HAD ALSO CAPABILITIES AND MOVED DECISIVELY INTO HIGHER VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY BASED BUSINESSES.

MANUFACTURING

IN THE COURSE OF THIS EVOLUTION, MR BARMA SAID THE LINKAGE

THE HAD PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HELPING INDUSTRY INDUSTRY TO ADJUST.

"IT HAS QUICKLY EQUIPPED ITSELF WITH NEW EQUIPMENT AND ADOPTED NEW SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT MANUFACTURERS TO MEET THE

CHALLENGE.

Tr KE

"TODAY, THE USE OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IS VERY COMMON, ESPECIALLY IN THE MOULD AND DIE SECTOR, SAID.

THE

DOUBLE

MR BARMA USED THE MACHINING CENTRE AS AN EXAMPLE AND SAID IMPORT OF MACHINING CENTRES INTO HONG KONG IN 1992 WAS ALMOST THAT OF 1991 AND WAS ABOUT FOURFOLD THAT OF 1988.

THE FIGURES SHOWED THAT ABOUT 71 PER CENT OF THE MACHINING CENTRES IMPORTED IN 1992 HAD BEEN RETAINED FOR USE IN HONG KONG THE REMAINING 29 PER CENT BRING SHIPPED INTO CHINA,

WITH

HE ADDED.

MR BARMA SAID MANUFACTURERS HAD ALSO TAKEN KEEN INTEREST IN THE APPLICATION OF OTHER ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS LASER CUTTING, OPTICAL GRINDING, TURRET PUNCHING AND FINE BLANKING.

"AS A RESULT OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS OF ADVANCED

IN

TO PROCESSES

THE INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURERS ARE ABLE RANGES PRODUCT

AND IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY TO MEET THE RVER-RISING CONSUMER EXPECTATION.

PRODUCTION

EXPAND

THEIR

INVEST

ΤΟ THEMSELVES MARKET," HE SAID.

**THIS

IN

WILLING IS A POSITIVE SIGNAL THAT MANUFACTURERS ARE MACHINERY AND ADOPT NEW SKILLS IN ORDER

MEET THE INCREASING COMPETITION IN

TO

THE

TO UPGRADE INTERNATIONAL

/MR BARMA

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