The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) and China Productivity Center (CPC) organized a coordination meeting for the research project on Assessment of Smart Manufacturing and Needs of Member Countries in Taipei, 12–14 November 2019. The project is being carried out under the APO Center of Excellence (COE) on Smart Manufacturing. Chief Expert Professor Chen-Fu Chien of National Tsing Hua University and six national experts comprising Dr. Chia-Yen Lee (ROC), Umashankar Prasad (India), Abdullah Sanusi (Indonesia), Franklin D. Quiachon (Philippines), Dr. Anan Mungwattana (Thailand), and Dr. Ha Minh Hiep (Vietnam) laid the groundwork for conducting the research on the current to mid-term smart manufacturing needs of APO members while improving overall industrial productivity in each country. APO Secretariat Research & Planning Department Officer David Sehyeon Baek also attended as the research coordinator.

The experts presented specific analyses of elements required for their countries to achieve maximum benefit from the smart manufacturing transformation. It was apparent from their reports that a phased approach to would be needed, as reflected in the research framework and methodology adopted. The experts will therefore first identify the needs of the targeted six APO member countries and then devise step-by-step action plans and recommendations for each. Local in-depth case studies will be conducted to illustrate the specific processes adopted so far. Based on the research findings and recommendations, follow-up activities will involve raising awareness of smart manufacturing options in each national context.

In concluding the coordination meeting, Dr. Eugene Y. Lin, Director of the CPC’s APO Affairs Department stated, “Through this research, the CPC as the APO COE on Smart Manufacturing will be able to plan practical projects to help member countries transform their conventional manufacturing into smart operations through factory automation, the adoption of intelligent factory technologies, or a combination of both.”