Recognising that manufacturing is key to building better lives in Oman and acting in an effort to promote the sector, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) has launched the Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG).

OMG kicked off its activities with a seminar on New Product Development. Hamad Al Harthy, director general, Rusayl Industrial Estate, said the PEIE would run four seminars this year to enable companies from across the Sultanate to share advice on improving productivity and competitive advantage. “Indeed, OMG seminars are intended to take attendees through best business practices and strategy; lean manufacturing and innovation; product development; and branding,” he said.
OMG is sponsored by a host of domestic and international organisations including: Reem Batteries, Al Buraimi Group; Jotun; Khimji Permoglaze; Ericsson; Oracle; OCIPED; Omani Marble; Agility; Infocomm Group; Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting; Al Mudhish; RealityCG; Videocon; Gulf Air; Times of Oman; Gulf Industry; and Oman Economic Review. At each of the four seminars, engineering students from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) will be delivering real-life demonstrations of manufacturing innovations. “We’re very excited about SQU’s involvement in OMG. It’s important that PEIE acts as a catalyst and brokers dialogue between universities and manufacturing.”
The seminar on the development of new products had presenters from Reem Batteries; Nawras; Total Alignment; UMS and RealityCG and the moderator was Professor Andrew Self of Serco.  It took a look behind the scenes of successful companies and their approach to new product development.”
Another aspect of OMG’s philosophy is to promote manufacturing as a career choice. Al Harthy said: “Technology and manufacturing formed the fundamental base for our future lives.” He explained that a manufacturing technology solution would be needed for every challenge faced by mankind from global warming, energy provision and healthcare through to poverty reduction.
Turning to the future of manufacturing, Al Harthy expressed the view that apprenticeships should be more vigorously promoted as a career path for young Omanis “It’s important to encourage our youngsters to consider all further education options and to understand that an apprenticeship in manufacturing can develop them as individuals as well as providing the skills they’ll need as the foundation for their future careers. The OMG initiative will help realise this objective,” said Al Harthy.
“An apprenticeship teaches skill, respect, discipline and responsibility, all personal qualities that are required in our ever demanding world-competitive market.”