THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Bosch headquartered in Germany have forged a partnership to introduce advanced and sustainable technologies for the Philippine manufacturing sector.

The DTI said that the partnership will develop a pilot factory based on state-of-the-art industry standards that aims to establish lab experiences that will simulate real-world manufacturing environments. The pilot factory will also integrate the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial Intelligence and digital-based manufacturing, among others.The partnership will also help develop a strong Industry 4.0 ecosystem in the Philippines."Our partnership with Bosch represents our pivotal collaborations with both local and international partners, and technology providers to build a robust Industry 4.0 ecosystem in the country," Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said in a statement on Tuesday."As we unveil the first state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 Pilot Factory in the Philippines, this factory will serve as an experiential learning laboratory, equipped with automation technologies powered by Bosch and other technology partners," he added.DTI and Bosch signed the partnership on June 7 at the Bosch Rexroth Regional Training Center in Singapore.The signing marks the DTI's formal partnership with Bosch in pursuing industrialization driven by science, technology and innovation.Bosch provides various products and services, including automation technologies, industrial hydraulics, electric drives, linear motion technology, assembly systems and IoT solutions.For his part, Regional President for Bosch in Southeast AsiaVijay Ratnaparkhe affirmed their commitment to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in the Philippines."Through this partnership, we will help strengthen the Philippines' industrial capabilities and readiness for advanced technologies while promoting sustainable economic growth and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry," said Ratnaparkhe.