MUSCAT, SEPT 23 - Plans for the establishment of a high-tech industrial innovation hub at Sohar University in collaboration with the University of Sheffield’s world-renowned Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) continue to make headway, according to key officials associated with the landmark initiative. The unique facility, billed as the only one of its kind in the entire GCC region, will initially serve as an industrial design and prototyping centre with the potential to evolve into a National Manufacturing Park in Phase 2 of its development.
According to a statement issued by AMRC Sheffield over the weekend, the ambitious project will be formally named ‘Intaj Suhar’ and will seek to broadly replicate the hugely successful Sheffield model of a ‘clustering of university research with industrial design and production’ in Suhar.
Intaj Suhar stems from an initiative set out by Tanfeedh — the National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification — to help develop the underpinnings of a national industrial innovation hub focused on precision manufacturing.
“AMRC Oman will be an important facility for parts prototyping, innovation support, precision manufacturing of parts, attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) by international manufacturers, and creation of downstream small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that produce high value products under the ‘Designed and Made in Oman’ brand,” Prof Ghassan al Kindi, Director of Research and Industry Collaboration at Sohar University, explained in an earlier interview to the Observer.
Intaj Suhar, according to AMRC Sheffield, will focus on advanced machining, specialist assembly, material development, optimised design, rapid prototyping and engineering testing. “It will draw these together to support the strategic development in the supply chains of the aluminium, steel, composites and polymer industries,” the UK-based R&D institution noted in a statement over the weekend.
The multi-million dollar centre, which is backed by Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry among other stakeholders, will be developed in two phases. Phase 1 of Intaj Suhar will be designed and equipped primarily to cater to ‘advanced manufacturing’.
This is in support of industrial innovations, as well as ‘manufacturing tools’ to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) launch new products into the marketplace.
Phase 2 of the initiative envisions a major role for the private sector as Intaj Suhar evolves into a National Manufacturing Park with a focus on precision manufacturing. The Park will enable major international manufacturing companies to have a footprint in Oman, and will also provide essential services, such as design, testing, maintenance, training, and so on, to local industry.
Prof Barry Winn, Vice Chancellor at Sohar University and Chair of the new Oman AMRC Steering Committee, commented: “Our vision is to support the development of the manufacturing sector and enable provision of technology capability in advanced manufacturing through world-class facilities in design, machining, prototyping and proving pre-production.”
AMRC Executive Director, John Baragwanath, added: “As the originators of the AMRC model, we have been able to show them how world-class research can help manufacturers of any size add value to their business by introducing advanced techniques, technologies and processes. What we are doing chimes perfectly with their vision of helping Oman become ‘a knowledge nation.’”
Phase 1 of Intaj Suhar is expected to launch before the end of 2018.
Conrad Prabhu
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