RIYADH: Future Factories Program, an initiative aiming to transform 4,000 factories in the Kingdom, has unveiled its new website. Initially launched by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources in 2022, the project strives to develop Saudi’s industrial sector by providing new and existing factories with “global methodologies in operational excellence.” The program’s website highlights its past success stories, including how investments in Hana Food Industries Co.’s new technologies allowed the factory to reduce production costs and improve water extraction efficiency. The digital interface allows service providers from the industrial technology sector to apply to be linked with manufacturers to “enable them to provide services to factories and industrial companies.” Its landing page also states its hopes to reduce dependence on unskilled labor and increase operational efficiency, outlining its objectives of raising the level of digital maturity and increasing the industrialcapabilities of factories. This statement aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s digital transformation doctrine, which hopes to see all sectors in the Kingdom equipped with technical skills and capabilities, making them well-suited for the digital age. Additionally, it shares the vision of the Kingdom becoming a prominent hub for manufacturing and investment. The initiative’s “project streams” are divided into two branches, with one department dedicated to enhancing existing factories" technological and operational standards and the other geared towards creating new establishments with a strong emphasis on “high manufacturing and production efficiency standards.” The platform also shares the project’s “knowledge evidence” resources. Among the aids is the Smart Factories Readiness Index Plant Maturity Assessment Guide, which outlines six levels for factories to assess their current operational readiness and the benchmarks for achieving the next level. Saudi’s industrial sector attracted SR2.77 billion ($738 million) from the private sector in the second quarter of 2023, according to the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones. The program has contributed to the “operational excellence” of many factories, including Avalon Pharma, Saudi Multichem, Power Rack and Amiantit Fiber Industries.