Sharjah Making Strides With 4th Industrial Manufacturing Hub

Sharjah’s Research and Technology Park (SRTIP) is host to the latest and most advanced 4'h industrial manufacturing (4IM) equipment and is rapidly becoming established as a meeting place for global R&D leaders.

The park is attracting companies, governments and academics to collaborate to shape the future of key industrial growth areas and to resolve important sustainability challenges.

SRTIP Chief Executive Hussain Al Mahmoudi said: “The Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park aligned with the UAE’s 10-year strategic plan to position the country as a global industry leader.”

The park will commence its active new phase by converting a 5,000 square foot area into one of the region’s leading M2 printing machines centres. The focus will primarily be metal printing, a domain that has garnered attention recently due to rising demands from firms globally who acknowledge metal 3D printing’s serial production potential.

The facility which will be an addition to the 12,500 square foot 3D labs, will utilise ultra-modern AI technologies and be used primarily for the 3D printing of metal parts for the oil and gas, and automotive industries.

Al Mahmoudi said: “The Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park is a regional and global centre of R&D excellence, and we look forward to offering partners world-class 3D printing facilities utilising cutting-edge technologies.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to global supply chains and a wide range of industries now seek 3D printing manufacturing solutions that offer vastly improved resilience and flexibility compared to traditional manufacturing processes.

“We believe the 3D printing facility we are creating will be optimally positioned to meet this demand and to drive significant value for clients and partners”.

Computer-integrated processes make significant use of AI, with no prognostications of slowing down. AI in the manufacturing industry is expected to inflate from its 2016 market size of 272.5 million to a whopping 4.8 billion by 2023.

Company orders for robots are surging, with orders spiking 5.2% in the final quarter of 2019, at 23,894 units ordered with a total sitting value of 1.3 billion USD.

Created in 2016, SRTIP is a hub for advanced R&D and innovation ecosystems, attracting leading academics and researchers from around the world to share knowledge and create the breakthrough technologies of the future.

A freezone in which 100 percent foreign company ownership is permitted, SRTIP promotes research into renewable energy, water management, environmental technology, transport and logistics, production, design and architecture, and digitalisation solutions.