Manufacturing

The event highlighted the achievements of the entrepreneurial community. (Image source: RAKEZ)

The RAKEZ Growth Series 2024 concluded with a final gathering at the Compass Coworking Centre, bringing together participants, speakers, and industry leaders for a day of networking, reflection, and valuable business insights.

The event highlighted the achievements of the entrepreneurial community, celebrating the growth and success driven by the knowledge and strategies shared throughout the year.

Over the course of 2024, the RAKEZ Growth Series featured 10 dynamic sessions, hosting dozens of experts from industries such as finance, marketing, wellness, media, and government. With over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners in attendance, the series served as a platform for learning, collaboration, and unlocking new opportunities for business growth.

The final event of the year provided attendees with an opportunity to revisit the highlights of the RAKEZ Growth Series, reconnect with peers, and gain new insights from inspiring speakers. Entrepreneurs reflected on their achievements, shared their growth stories, and discussed strategies to maintain momentum heading into 2025.

In 2024, the RAKEZ Growth Series served as a catalyst for business transformation. Participants frequently credited the series' expert guidance, practical resources, and networking opportunities as instrumental in driving their progress and fostering long-term success.

Reflections

RAKEZ group CEO Ramy Jalad, said, “The RAKEZ Growth Series was created with a mission to empower business owners and entrepreneurs with practical strategies, actionable insights, and valuable networks to fuel their success. The 2024 edition delivered on this promise, facilitating countless opportunities for growth, collaboration, and learning. It has been incredible to witness the transformative power of shared knowledge and connections in our community.”

Shijin Abdul Latheef, founder of Craftspot Designs, said, "The RAKEZ Growth Series has been a true game-changer for me! Each session delivered actionable insights, and the networking opportunities have allowed me to forge invaluable partnerships. These events have consistently exceeded my expectations, providing unmatched value that keeps me coming back.”

Hannah Joao, founder of Digitally Driven, said, "The Growth Series events have been essential to my personal and professional journey. By attending multiple sessions, I’ve not only grown my network but also built meaningful partnerships that have significantly boosted my business. As the founder of a digital marketing agency in Ras Al Khaimah, I’ve experienced firsthand how these sessions cultivate innovation, collaboration, and practical takeaways that empower businesses to thrive. For me, the Growth Series isn’t just an event—it’s a launchpad for success."

Mohamed Ismail Syed, founder of RAKVISTA, said, "The Growth Series isn’t just a series of events; it’s a university for young entrepreneurs like us. The speakers are exceptional, offering insights that expand our perspectives, refine our strategies, and provide actionable guidance we can apply to our ventures. This platform has been instrumental in helping me navigate market dynamics and inspired me to strive for excellence in my entrepreneurial journey."

Maggie Slowik, global industry director for manufacturing, IFS. (Image source: IFS)

Between an aging workforce, and the difficulty to attract new workers, the manufacturing industry is fraught with problems and a growing shortage of skilled labour.

But on its very own shop floors exist years of knowledge and expertise from its current workers, the very human tools that will help manufacturers uphold quality standards.  

Without the correct systems in place, the knowledge from experienced workers goes undocumented, and a lack of standardised processes stop manufacturers from capturing crucial information, the sort of information that could easily result in product recalls.  

Now, with the addition of connected worker technologies, manufacturers can tackle countless pain points felt by today’s companies, simply by connecting training and empowering frontline workers.  

When you put the connected worker at the heart of your operations, the entire quality lifecycle is enhanced – workers are fully trained on the latest standards, new quality efficiencies can be realised as algorithms and data are analysed, and the risk of product recalls are minimised. 

Human intelligence  

Of course, machines and technology are getting smarter—but so are humans, and having the two work in tandem can help manufacturers reap real rewards in the fight for continuous improvement of product quality.  

It’s the frontline workers in these operations that will make or break a successful quality and food safety operation before it leaves the factory.  

Connected, trained, and empowered workers are essential to add a frontline layer of quality control and an all-seeing eye on what’s happening on the shop floor. Giving workers the ability to access and analyse data based on algorithms and use cases will drive efficiencies across quality control. We see this with  features like Digital Forms and Issues Management from Poka Inc., an IFS company, which give frontline workers the tools to perform essential quality checks. 

The power of real-time information 

Poka’s connected worker platform provides the opportunity to learn from other workers and their manufacturing experiences. It enables manufacturers to take their best, most knowledgeable employees and capture and reuse their knowledge. They can ensure the best people are training new employees to the best possible standards—and they only have to do it once.   

The results? When frontline workers are fully trained on the most up-to-date processes and standards, they contribute to the organisation’s ability to reduce waste, optimise production efficiency, and, crucially, minimise defects. The 70:20:10 model, which puts collaborative working  on top of the learning and development scale, is  precisely how training and development works for frontline workers on the shop floor.  As opposed to simply telling workers to ‘go on a course’ the model focuses on 70% of learning on the job, 20% of learning through colleagues and 10% via formal training programmes.    

Integrate technology to combat quality issues 

Integrating connected worker platforms alongside enterprise resource planning (ERP) software gives manufacturers embedded functionalities to address the entire quality lifecycle—from supply chain management, manufacturing work in progress, and maintenance, through to warehouse management, and distribution.  

By giving frontline workers the tools to document quality checks, and access information to stay compliant and proactive, manufacturers can empower a company-wide culture of innovation. When the focus is shifted to empowering your frontline workers, you’re able to give your teams the tools to identify opportunities for improvement. 

This article was authored by Maggie Slowik, global industry director for manufacturing, IFS. It has been edited for brevity. 

A major area of focus for Würth Group in the Middle East will be the refurbishment and renovation of existing infrastructure. (Image source: Wurth Group)

Würth Group, the global industrial conglomerate, is setting its sights on the Middle East market with a renewed focus on manufacturing, digitalisation, and sustainability.

As Benjamin Würth will take over from his grandfather and is now the deputy chairman of the supervisory board, the group is poised to leverage its extensive experience and innovative solutions to cater to the region's growing construction and industrial sectors.

In an exclusive interview with Technical Review Middle East, the company said that one of its key initiatives is the launch of a focused strategy for the Middle East market. As Benjamin's close aide, Angela Pernsteiner, explained, "The group will invest in dedicated resources to better serve the large-scale construction projects in the region."

Refurbishment and sustainability

A major area of focus for Würth Group in the Middle East will be the refurbishment and renovation of existing infrastructure. "Around 70% of the buildings in the region need to be refurbished and renovated," said Pernsteiner. "We have innovative solutions, that can extend the lifespan of bridges and buildings without disrupting operations."

This focus on sustainability aligns with the company's broader commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry. "We can't avoid the emissions from construction, but we can be more sustainable by refurbishing and renovating with innovative products," Pernsteiner added.

One of the company's key innovations is the use of automated vending machines for construction sites. "These vending machines ensure 24/7 availability of materials, and they're equipped with advanced scanning technology to track inventory and restock automatically," explained Benjamin Würth.

Customised solutions

Würth Group's success has been built on its ability to provide customised solutions and adapt to local market conditions. "We don't just sell products; we offer solutions," said Benjamin Würth. "We listen to our customers' challenges and develop products and services that address their specific needs."

This localisation strategy extends to the company's manufacturing capabilities. "We believe in producing locally to ensure sustainability and reliability, especially during supply chain disruptions," Würth added. "We have centers worldwide to maintain consistent quality and service levels."

Underpinning Würth Group's expansion in the Middle East is a strong focus on upskilling and employee development. "The job descriptions are changing, and we need to ensure our people have the necessary skills," said Benjamin Würth. "We have an academy that provides training and reskilling programmes to help our employees grow with the company."

The solution provides the accuracy and speed needed to isolate unstable batteries before they become a safety risk. (Image source: Brady)

Brady Corporation is offering a new, more cost-efficient solution to quickly detect unstable Li-ion batteries in storage

Able to automatically measure 0,5°C temperature differences per second, the solution provides the accuracy and speed needed to isolate unstable batteries before they become a safety risk.

Brady’s new battery temperature monitoring solution involves 3 components: self-adhesive battery-free UHF RFID labels with embedded temperature sensors, RFID readers with up to 16 antennas, and a customisable RFID software platform. The self-adhesive UHF RFID-embedded labels can be applied inside battery cell boxes for fast temperature change detection. Alternatively, every battery cell can be labelled with Brady’s on-metal, printable UHF RFID labels to enable more elaborate advantages in Li-ion battery supply chains.

Every second, the RFID antennas and readers automatically power all labels and sensors in range to collect temperature readings with 0.5°C accuracy. Every temperature reading, and matching battery storage location, is collected by the RFID software platform. When customisable temperature thresholds are reached, the software platform triggers 3^rd party devices via standard API. With almost continuous, automated and accurate temperature monitoring, warehouse stakeholders can receive early warnings via sms, email or even racking warning lights. They can be guided in time to specific warehouse locations for unstable Li-ion battery isolation. Alternatively, Brady’s software platform API can also trigger an autonomous vehicle to automatically remove an unstable battery.

Click here to see how you can benefit from automated battery temperature monitoring in a single, comprehensive visual

Cost-effective

Battery-free UHF RFID labels with embedded sensors are a more cost-effective battery temperature monitoring solution than powered RFID tags or IR cameras. UHF RFID labels and their temperature sensors receive power wirelessly from RFID antennas and readers in range. They are available at significantly lower costs – up to 5 times less than battery-powered RFID tags – and do not require maintenance.

The number of RFID readers needed to completely cover storage locations in a warehouse heavily depends on warehouse setup, racking height and storage volume per racking compartment. Brady can connect up to 16 antennas to a single RFID reader that provides high accuracy, high speed temperature monitoring for all storage locations in 12 metre wide and 4 metre high racking.

The automated, and almost continuous, nature of the temperature monitoring solution enables Li-ion battery manufacturers and logistics companies to significantly increase safety and reduce risk at advantageous costs.

Discover battery monitoring case studies by clicking here

Automated inventories

By adding an RFID reader gate at designated warehouse exits, Brady’s solution can also enable automated, real-time warehouse inventories. RFID labelled items are read by Brady’s RFID readers the moment their label enters reader range. When they pass through a designated RFID reader gate, these items can easily be subtracted from the inventory by the RFID software platform. When used in this way, the solution can provide cost-effective battery track & trace inside the warehouse from entry to exit, complete with battery cell box or battery cell temperature fluctuation in between.

Get some inspiration from Brady's free guidebook here

This article is authored by Brady Corporation