Siemens AG and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to drive digital transformation and sustainability in smart manufacturing platforms.

Mainly, the collaboration focuses on global manufacturing processes in electronics, information and communications technology, and electric vehicles (EV). Siemens and Foxconn are working together to establish a scalable and seamless engineering and manufacturing ecosystem.

Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG, emphasized the significance of this partnership, “At Siemens, we believe in the power of partnerships to drive positive change. Our collaboration with Foxconn underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability as we work together to shape the future of electronics manufacturing.”

Young Liu, Chairman and CEO of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), said, “Foxconn is transforming into a platform solutions provider for smart manufacturing, smart EVs and smart cities. Joining forces with Siemens accelerates our digital transformation journey and opens up new possibilities for innovation and sustainability.”

Beef up Automation Levels

This MoU identifies key collaboration areas to increase the automation level at Foxconn’s facilities. Specifically, these are electronics manufacturing service (EMS) and contract design and manufacturing service (CDMS), which is Foxconn’s innovative business model for electric vehicles. Moreover, both companies will explore initiatives to work toward the factory of the future. To this end, they will implement Siemens’ leading factory automation portfolio and industrial software. Among them include building blocks such as digital twin technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Particularly, Siemens Xcelerator, with its comprehensive suite of software and solutions, will play a pivotal role in optimizing Foxconn’s engineering and manufacturing workflows. Consequently, this would facilitate efficiency and agility across its operations.

Also, this collaboration aims to leverage how Siemens’ technical expertise can enhance Foxconn’s sustainability performance. This aims to contribute to energy savings and a reduced CO₂ footprint. Also, this partnership involves establishing transparent monitoring processes and applying professional services and digital solutions. Primarily, this is attributed to both companies working toward a greener future for electronics manufacturing.

“Electronics are the backbone of modern society, powering everything from communication to transportation. We are, therefore, very proud to intensify our collaboration with Foxconn,” said Cedrik Neike, CEO of Digital Industries and member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG. “With Siemens’ domain know how and leading portfolio in factory automation and software, we’ll accelerate the transformation of the electronics manufacturing industry and support Foxconn to not only achieve its sustainability targets, but also improve efficiency.”

Dr. Zhe Shi, Foxconn’s Chief Digital Officer and head of its Smart Manufacturing platform, added, “Siemens is a leader in providing digital transformation solutions. Our deepening collaboration to build the factory of the future in the AI era will enable us to provide top-flight manufacturing service to all our customers.”

-16 May 2024-