"The Digital Transformation Journey in Factories"

A workshop conducted by the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting in the Sultanate of Oman in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and the Oman Chamber of Commerce.

As part of its regional efforts to empower the industrial sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting conducted a specialized workshop in the Sultanate of Oman titled "The Digital Transformation Journey in Factories: From Initiative to Practical Implementation." This was held in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in Oman – represented by the Directorate of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in the North Al Batinah Governorate – and coordinated with the branch of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the governorate.

The workshop aimed to enable the Omani industrial sector to adopt modern technologies and enhance efficiency, quality, and operational flexibility through practical content based on real field experiences. The workshop included several key topics, most notably analyzing factories' readiness for digital transformation, identifying priorities for technological investment, and presenting practical steps for moving from initiative to real implementation.

At the beginning of the workshop, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Breiki, Head of the Industrial Studies and Policies Department at the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting, presented a working paper discussing the Smart Factory Initiative and its importance in boosting industrial competitiveness in the Sultanate of Oman. He also addressed the evaluation methodology adopted to measure factory readiness for digital transformation based on the Smart Industry Readiness Index and spoke about the latest concepts in digital transformation in the industrial context, supported by a number of similar success stories in the region and the world.

The workshop emphasized the importance of integrating field expertise with methodological frameworks as a key factor for the success of any digital transformation initiative. Dr. Mohammed Al-Breiki also affirmed the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting's commitment to supporting government entities and the private sector in the Sultanate of Oman and GCC countries in their efforts to achieve the goals of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In this context, the workshop highlighted two practical case studies in adopting automation and smart technologies in Omani companies. The first was the experience of Sohar Aluminium, presented by Eng. Ibrahim Al-Alawi, Automation Supervisor, in which he reviewed the operational challenges prior to the transformation, the technical solutions implemented, and the resulting gains in productivity and energy efficiency. The second case was from Voltamp Oman Transformers, presented by Eng. Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Maimani, Continuous Improvement Specialist, who explained how the company overcame system integration challenges and improved product quality.