As the region’s construction sector looks to reboot activity, new challenges have emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry reports cite rising cost, supply chain disruption and skilled labour shortage as the key barriers.

With the region witnessing an increased focus on leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution and 3D printing gaining traction, the role that digital technology can bring to the industry is now widely discussed and advanced technologies are increasingly being deployed to strengthen efficiency and productivity.

The contribution of diverse stakeholders in the construction sector is being showcased at Big 5, where the role that digital technology plays in advancing the industry is also in the spotlight. GE Digital is supporting this transformation through path-breaking technologies that add to the efficiency of suppliers who serve the construction sector. From regional companies to diverse, multi-national manufacturers and equipment builders, GE Digital has transformed production with customers making cement, paint, metals, plywood and OSB, trusses and joists, pre-fabricated houses, plastics, heavy construction machinery and equipment, plumbing and electrical products, and much more.

For example, a leading engineered wood products company sought to modernize their operations, including how they visualize and analyze data. Challenges included connecting to older equipment, optimizing track and trace, and boosting quality and throughput, in conjunction with Operational Excellence. The company deployed GE Digital’s MES and HMI/SCADA solutions at 15+ plants. Results include improving quality of wood products, increased speed of production / throughput, and supported Operational Excellence programme goals.

Another example is the success of a major paint manufacturer in modernizing one of its production plants by using GE Digital’s HMI/SCADA and batch execution software, with the fully automated plant now manufacturing as much as a facility with five times the workforce. Reducing waste and increasing product quality, GE Digital’s solutions help increase efficiency and minimize human error in addition to maximizing flexibility in a multi-product, multi-batch environment.

Another technology by GE Digital that has had a significant impact is its industrial analytics software that improves asset and process performance. A global leader in the insulation industry deployed GE Digital’s Proficy CSense, optimizing complex production processes and simulating production process for training. Using AI and machine learning to enable process engineers to combine data across multiple sources, Proficy CSense helps rapidly identify problems, discover root causes, predict future performance, and automate actions to continuously improve quality, utilisation, productivity, and delivery of operations.

Proficy CSense has helped organisations globally reduce costs by turning raw data into rapid business value. Engineers and data scientists can analyze, monitor, predict, simulate, and optimise and control setpoints in real time through Proficy CSense. It also offers the capability to mine insight from historical data and rapidly develop, test, and deploy simple calculations, predictive analytics, and optimization and control solutions to reduce variability and improve operations.

With the construction sector playing a key role in helping the region achieve its vision for a sustainable future, deploying digital solutions help accelerate the industry through increased cost efficiency and enhanced productivity.

Meanwhile the DP World, UAE Region’s Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), seeks to pave the way for the construction industry with its participation in The Big 5 2021. One of the largest construction and contracting events in the Middle East region, the event is scheduled to take place from Sept12-15  at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Jafza’s participation at The Big 5 is considered of exceptional importance, as the free zone will offer a wide range of solutions that will enable key players in the region to tap into new markets and grow their business. With its robust logistics capabilities and expansive reach, Jafza succeeded in supporting over 3,300 construction-related companies, enabling trade worth Dhs17 billion in 2020. This figure accounts for 29 per cent of total construction-related trade in Dubai in 2020.

Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director, DP World - UAE Region and Jafza, said: “The construction and building materials sector is vital in Jafza, as it is one of the main drivers in the free zone and is also considered as the key indicator for the development and prosperity of any nation. The construction industry in the UAE will witness a rebound in 2021 with a predicted growth of 5.9 per cent and average growth of 2.0 per cent through 2025.”

“We firmly believe that we can contribute to these figures, setting the stage for construction and building materials companies, as we are the trade gateway to the Mena region and beyond. With our participation in The Big 5, our goal is to not only improve growth prospects for the companies in the construction sector, but also help them reach wider markets.”