Singapore production group chief talks

This year’s post-budget forum delved on how SMEs could innovate, transform and go global. Mr Foo first gave an overview of SMF’s 86-year-strong legacy and the critical role TACs play. He also mentioned that SMF has collaborated with other countries’ TACs such as Federation of Manufacturing in Malaysia. He also highlighted Workforce Singapore (WSG)’s Capability Transfer Programme, lauding it as “good and progressive”. How it benefited SMF was that its members could leverage on the programme to help fill up the gaps in the workforce, in order to remain competitive in the industry.

SMF has also been coming up with a series of programmes to help companies to innovate and digitise, transforming the manufacturing landscape in Singapore. With the many programmes the SMF has embarked on, Mr Foo asked Minister Heng – if the TACs continue to come up with programmes to help SMEs on a national level, what are the schemes available in turn for TACs that would help them to further help SMEs to innovate and transform?

Minister Heng agreed that the manufacturing sector’s volume has increased significantly over the recent five years, but not in terms of manpower. He recognised the efforts put in by SMF to transform the manufacturing sector, especially in Digital Transformation and Innovation. In that aspect, he hoped that the TACs would continue to work closely together, especially when Singapore is chairing ASEAN 2018.