The Chief Executive Officer of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), Shahid Rashid, has said that so far 51 automotive vendor companies have benefited from Smeda-Jica Industry Support Programme and urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to send more Japanese experts to upgrade the 125 factories evaluated for the year 2008-09.
He was addressing a reception for the outgoing Jica Senior Volunteer, Kiyoshi Yoshida. Smeda and Pakistan Association of Autoparts and Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam) jointly hosted the reception which was also attended by Chief Executive of Hybrid Technics, Mohsin M. Syed. Chief Executive of Infinity Engineering Abdur Razzaq Gauhar and Amer Farooqui of Sampak Engineering were also present on the occasion. Chief Executive Officer, Smeda, Shahid Rashid, Coordinator, Pakistan, Jica, Ikuko WAKAI, and Kiyoshi Yoshida also addressed the gathering.
Shahid Rashid expressed deep satisfaction over the Smeda-Jica Industry Support Programme. "This has been very inspiring afternoon for me when the industry stakeholders are acknowledging the services of Smeda with high regards," he said. He expressed heartiest gratitude to Japanese Expert Kiyoshi Yoshida, who had worked very hard along with Smeda team to bring the dream into reality. He said that Yoshida would live in so many success stories of the automotive industries of Pakistan despite leaving physically.
He said that Jica experts with about 30-35 years of experience in automotive industry of Japan, coupled with pertinent education in their respective fields, had transferred their knowledge, expertise and methodology to the local industry. Japanese experts, he said, were attached with individual auto parts manufacturing units and provided technical consultancy on different production management issues at shop floor level.
Paapam Chairman Muhammad Aslam Malik said Smeda had done a great job in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to have more than 100 per cent increase in production of the SMEs operating in automotive sector. Smeda had adopted the very right way to upgrade local industry by bringing the most modern expertise from Japan, instead of sending so many people to Japan for training. Mohsin Syed while describing the success story of Smeda-Jica intervention in his factory admitted that he had witnessed 100 percent increase in his production due to the expert support extended by the Japanese expert Yoshida. He also appreciated the devoted services of Smeda team associated with Yoshida.
Razzaq Gauhar of Infinity Engineers acknowledged that Smeda-Jica support had increased efficiency of each and every machine and every workman of his production floor. He suggested that Smeda's local team should continue this support to the industry even after departure of the Japanese Experts.
Amer Farooqui of Sampak Engineering said that in the beginning they were not sure that Smeda -Jica program would be able to bring some tangible results. "But, we were surprised to note that on completion of this 8 weeks intervention our production had increased up to 177 percent."
Ikuko Wakai, Jica Coordinator, assured that Jica's cooperation with Smeda would continue in future as well. She said that Jica was committed to contribute to the process of economic development of Pakistan through transfer of industrial technology and technological expertise from Japan.
Kiyoshi Yoshida said that he had spent 185 days at automotive factories out of the total 219 days stay at Smeda. "This means that 85 percent of my time spent in Pakistan was dedicated to auto vendor companies", he said. He said that he had evaluated 42 auto vendor factories, out of which 22 factories were provided with his consultancy.
Comments
Comments are closed.