The China Productivity Center (CPC) in collaboration with the APO Secretariat conducted a training course on IoT Applications for SMEs in Taichung, 24–28 July. Twenty-three participants from 16 APO members completed the face-to-face course, including executives from SMEs, representatives of industrial associations, consultants, productivity practitioners, and policymakers. It was conducted by four resource persons, comprising two each from the ROC and Singapore, who led the discussions on how the IoT can enable a better understanding of new technology and its applications through hands-on exercises and mock projects.

Connecting machines and devices physically and digitally is the foundation of smart manufacturing and one of the first steps in digital transformation. The IoT can help to collect and share data generated in all business processes and is effective in monitoring quality and optimizing operations, thereby improving productivity. With the IoT becoming more accessible, SMEs are better placed to embrace its applications. However, a lack of expertise can often hamper their initiatives to benefit from IoT technologies. The training course was designed to help participants grasp IoT trends and applications, including utilization in data analytics and cybersecurity.

Topics covered ranged from use of the IoT in smart factories, to the IoT and data analytics, to the use of IoT for enabling ESG reporting and dashboards. The resource persons shared insights on the industrial IoT and cybersecurity with case studies, including data-based strategy planning to give participants a precise understanding of implementing IoT solutions for SMEs. Participants also visited DigiWinSoft 5G AIoT Experience and Experiment Base and Victor Taichung Machinery to observe how businesses effectively adopt technologies for digital upgrading. The training course aligned with the APO Vision 2025 goal of developing SMEs and assisting in their smart transformation.