Tianjin factory highlighted by World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum recently added seven new factories to its network of "Manufacturing Lighthouses", or facilities that serve as world leaders in how to successfully adopt and integrate cutting-edge technology, and Danfoss Commercial Compressors Factory in Tianjin is one standout member.

"By using its full digital traceability system and digital tools such as smart sensors, visual inspection and auto monitoring system to improve quality control, Danfoss CC Tianjin factory has improved labor productivity by 30 percent and reduced customer complaints by 57 percent within two years," the WEF announcement stated.

The wider purpose of the Lighthouses project, jointly developed by WEF and McKinsey, is to help overcome practical challenges experienced by industries in advanced and emerging economies when upgrading technology.

The broader goal is to create a learning platform with the lighthouses as the cornerstone, which is a part of the giant leap needed to capture benefits for the larger manufacturing ecosystem including multinationals, SMEs, start-ups, governments and academia.

The seven newly announced Lighthouses join a group of nine others, which were unveiled in 2018. All were selected from an initial list of 1,000 manufacturers based on their successful implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in ways that have driven financial and operational impact.

The findings are a part of a study that will be reviewed and discussed at WEF in Davos in two weeks' time, where Danfoss CEO Kim Fausing will participate with other business leaders.

In a press release announcing the news, Kjeld Stark, president of Danfoss China, said the company has been continuously bringing the most advanced technology into the Chinese market since starting operations there, and leading digital technology development in manufacturing does not only take place in Danfoss's headquarters, but also in China.

"This exemplifies our global leadership in digital and AI technology, which we are more than willing to share with our Chinese customers to accelerate growth and create sustainable values for them," he said.