KUALA LUMPUR - Honeywell, a Fortune 100 global technology and software-industrial company, has reaffirmed its strong commitment and continued contribution towards the growth and development of Malaysia’s Industry 4.0 agenda.

This was shared with International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Darell Leiking during his visit to Honeywell Technology Experience Center (HTEC) in Washington DC, the US.

Leiking was joined by InvestKL chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Zainal Amanshah and Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) CEO Datuk Azman Mahmud, together with other senior officials.

The delegation was received and hosted by Honeywell government relations global vice president Elizabeth Rossman.

Leiking said the ministry continued to look out for best practices in innovation, technology, industry and manufacturing that Malaysia can adapt to its growing industry 4.0 plans.

“A successful innovation ecosystem is one that allows multinational companies (MNCs) to thrive and at the same time, enables small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to be successful in niche markets and become respected sources of economic strength as suppliers to MNCs and as exporters.

“Malaysia is already on track to achieving this. An important factor in ensuring success is working with industry partners and global players like Honeywell to enable SMEs to make continual incremental improvements in processes and products that help them move up the value chain. This in turn translates into sustained competitive advantages,” he said in a statement.

Honeywell chairman and CEO Darius Adamczyk visited Malaysia last year and met with key customers and senior government officials.

Adamczyk said he was feeling positive about Malaysia’s aim of being a primary destination for high-tech industries and its plans for technological innovation.

“Malaysia’s Industry 4.0 agenda has provided Honeywell with the welcome opportunity to partner with government entities, local SMEs, suppliers and other key stakeholders to help address the region’s growing demands for energy efficiency, sustainability, safety and productivity in the places where people live, work and play.

“Honeywell’s leading connected products, services and solutions boost the effectiveness of an array of industries, including air travel, building technologies, worker safety, supply chain management and distribution, manufacturing, and refining, petrochemicals and renewables – to name a few,” said Adamczyk.

The visiting group gained some insights into some of these connected technologies, during their visit to the HTEC.

On display were sections dedicated to connected buildings and utilities, connected worker, connected plant, connected supply chain and connected aircraft.

Zainal said by working closely with global players, local SMEs are more likely to introduce innovative products and services than focusing entirely on domestic markets.

“Honeywell is bringing positive impact to the growth of SMEs in Malaysia and we continue to welcome similar prospective investors with objectives that are aligned with Malaysia,” he said.

Honeywell established its Asean regional headquarters in Kuala Lumpur in 2015 as the first MNC to join the government’s Principal Hub initiative.

Today, it employs 1,500 employees in six locations across Malaysia.