Silk Road Series – Seminar on China-Ukraine Trade and More

Silk Road Economic Development Research Center (SREDRC) and One Belt One Road Research Institute (OBORRI) of Chu Hai College co-organized the seminar on China-Ukraine Trade and More on 29^th Sep 2018.  Ukraine as a major economy at the crossroad of Eurasia has every potential to recover its past glory. As last as in the Soviet era, it had been the main industrial and agricultural centre of the confederation.  In recent years, it has been a major source of technology transfer fro China and given its fertile back soil and its insistence against genetic modification.  China’s Belt and Road Initiative aims to resurrect millennium old Silk Road and Ukraine could very well be once again the hub connecting the East from China, Central Asia and Caucasus, the West of Eastern, Central and Western Europe, the north of Russia and the Baltic Sea and the south through the Black Sea to the Middle East.  In the beginning, Dr CHAN Man Hung, Thomas (Director, One Belt One Road Research Institute) gave welcome speech and introduced each speaker.

Mr. Joseph Chan (Chairman of the Silk Road Economic Development Research Center) gave opening address.  

Mr. Olekandr Romanovskyy (Director, Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine) was the first speaker and his topic entitled “Ukraine on the World Agrarian Map: Export, Import, Prospects of Cooperation between Ukraine & China”.  Firstly, Mr. Romanovskyy shared the role of Agribusiness in Ukraine that had 18% of GDP.

Ukraine is farmers paradise in which had largest-arable land bank in Europe and No. 10 globally.  Their production of cereals and legumes were introduced. 

HKPC Seminar on Stepping into Smart Manufacturing with AI

The seminar named “Stepping into Smart Manufacturing with AI” was organized by HKPC on 28^th Sep 2018.  Today’s consumers pursue customized, personalized, and unique products over standardized ones in the past.  We are looking for digitalization, automation, machine learning, computer vision, and other fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to meet the current dynamic market needs and keep abreast of the new industrial trends for business sustainability.  This seminar gave insights of how to move forward to Smart Manufacturing and appropriate application.  I met one of speaker - Dr. Alvin LAI (Director, Leo Paper Group) and I proposed to send some research students for practice industrial big data analysis. Then we took a photo for memory.

The first speaker was Mr. Ken Lam (Senior Consultant, i4.0 & Additive Manufacturing, HKPC) and his topic named “Trend & Overview of Industry 4.0 & Smart Manufacturing”.  Firstly, he briefed the global industrial trend that included information trend, technology trend and market trend.  He also reviewed the evolution of industrial revolution.

Then he briefed the definition of Industrie 4.0 from acatech (Nation Academy of Science and Engineering, German).  It is a new level of organization and control over the entire value chain of the life cycle of products for increasing individualized customer requirements.

After that Mr. Lam introduced the Framework of Industry 4.0 from Fraunhofer IPT.  It named Smart i4.0 Navigator.  Four technical perspectives were Sensor, Network, Data and HMI (Human Machine Interface).  

HKPC employed acatech Industrie 4.0 maturity index and developed HKPC i4.0 recognition programme through five steps below:

i)                    Evaluation of i4.0 maturity level

ii)                  i4.0 certified training

iii)                i4.0 strategic roadmap identification

iv)                i4.0 Pilot Project Implementation

v)                  Smart Operation & Manufacturing Recognition

One of key management tools for i4.0 was Lean and then Mr. Lam introduced the Digital Lean Service that was data driven for process optimization.  Finally, Mr. Lam said there were more than 30 enterprises under industry 4.0 migration and 2 of them would acquire level 1i recognition in 2018. 

The second speaker was Dr. Alvin Lai (Director, OEM Business & Operations, Leo Paper Group) and his presentation entitled “Road to Smart Manufacturing”.  In the beginning, he briefed Leo Group history since 1982.  He gave some data that they had staff 28,000 in 2008 and then down to 16,000 staff in 2018 but the productivity increase 40% compared with 2008.

HKSTP & HKQAA Quality Startup Scheme Meeting 2

After my Kazakhstan trip, we had the 2^nd Quality Startup Scheme meeting between HKSTP Incubation Program team and HKQAA team on 28^th Sep 2018.  Gallen booked meeting venue in HKSTP@Wheelock Gallery and we took a group photo in the seminar hall.

(Left: Mr. Adams Wong, Mr. Gallen Leung, I, Mr. Bryne Pang and Ms. Brenda Ling)

Then we continued our discussion on enhancing our Quality Startup Scheme and induce Fintech cooperation.

After the meeting, we visited the environment and facilities of HKSTP@Wheelock Gallery.

Video show

Some incubatees’ products were demonstrated.

The floor plan 

Reference:

HKSTP@Wheelock Gallery - https://wheelockgallery.hkstp.org/

HKQAA Hong Kong Registration - Start-ups:  http://hkqaa.org/en_regservice.php?catid=13

20180911: HKSTP & HKQAA Quality Startup Scheme Meeting - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/hkstp-hkqaa-quality-startup-scheme.html

20180503: HKQAA Startup Coaching to HKSTP Incubatee - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/05/hkqaa-startup-coaching-to-hkstp.html

20180208: Startup Meeting with ITB and HKQAA - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2018/02/startup-meeting-with-itb-and-hkqaa.html

20180126: Startup Meeting with Cyberport - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2018/01/startup-meeting-with-cyberport.html

20180117: Startup Meeting with Hong Kong Startup Council and CityU - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2018/01/startup-meeting-with-hong-kong-startup.html

20180110: Startup Meeting among HKSTP, HKQAA and InvestHK - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2018/01/startup-meeting-among-hkstp-hkqaa-and.html

20171220: HKSTP & HKQAA meeting with EMSD for Startup Innovation Procurement - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2017/12/hkstp-hkqaa-meeting-with-emsd-for.html

20171122: Meeting with FHKI for Quality Startup - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2017/11/meeting-with-fhki-for-quality-startup.html

20170719: HKQAA Startup Coaching to CityU Inno-preneur “HANDS” - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2017/07/hkqaa-startup-coaching-to-cityu-inno.html

IGSO Dinner Meeting

Minda and I were invited by Mr. Leo Yuen (Founding Chairperson, HKFSTA) to join International Growers Standards Organization (IGSO) Dinner meeting on 27^th Sep 2018.  We knew each other through Hong Kong Food Science and Technology Association Limited (HKFSTA). Then we took a group photo for memory.

(Left: Testing expert, Prof. Alfred Cheung (HKU; Founding Vice Chairman, HKFSTA), Mr. Leo Yuen, Mr. Leo Cheung (Co-founder, IGSO), Ms. Mandy Chan (Co-founder, IGSO), Ms. Ann Leung, Ms. Winne Wong (Vice-Chairperson (Internal)), Ms. Minda Chiang (HKSQ) and Dr. Lotto Lai (HKSQ))

Leo and Mandy introduced the background of IGSO and their vision in future development.  IGSO had three mission below:

i)                    To gather and build up a group of Good Growers with an international standard accreditation, so as to distinguish them from the short-sighted Immoral Growers.

ii)                  To magnify our belief and influence for the new comers of our industry.

iii)                With the support of People’s Republic of China Government and Hong Kong SAR Government by implementing relevant policy, the international standards will soon become a thriving preconditions for the growers.

In round table, we have different experts including testing and certification, GMP, nutrient, food science and accreditation, as well as, food trader and distributor, etc. 

After exchange ideas on how to assure our supply chain of agricultural products which will be safer, standardized for improved quality attributes, we enjoyed the dinner and special dessert.

We are looking forward to continue this idea and develop IGSO so as to provide the global consumers greater confidence in the quality of the fruits / agricultural products they purchase.

Reference:

IGSO - http://www.igso.world/

HKFSTA - http://www.hkfsta.com.hk/

20150315: HKFSTA AGM and Spring Dinner 2015 - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2015/03/hkfsta-agm-and-spring-dinner-2015.html

Visit to Chi Lin Nunnery (志蓮淨苑) in Mid-Autumn Festival

On 24 Sep 2018, it is our Mid-Autumn Festival. Many companies let staff to leave early in Hong Kong.  Minda and I visited to Chi Lin Nunnery.

Inside Chi Lin Nunnery, it had a vegetarian restaurant named “Chi Lin Vegetarian”.  

Then we visited the stone / rock museum.

The different shape of Sedimentary Rocks were showed.

Reference:

Chi Lin Nunnery - http://www.chilin.org/

Chi Lin Vegetarian (In Chinese) - http://www.nanliangarden.org/facilities.php?ss=13&cat=111

Post-ANQ Congress 2018 City Tour in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Post-ANQ City Tour (22 Sep 2018)

After ANQ Congress 2018, Minda and I stayed two more days.  We walked around the hotel and went to the market.

We saw a very long wedding car. 

Then we visited some shop and always saw big apple.

Fruit and beer were found to be king size!

The International Academy for Quality (IAQ) General Meeting and QiETT Symposium

After ANQ Congress 2018, I participated the general meeting and Quality in Education Think Tank (QiETT) Symposium of the International Academy for Quality (IAQ) on 21 Sep 2018.  IAQ is an independent, self-supported, non-profit, non-governmental organization that is administered by a collegial assembly of individuals who have been elected by their peers from among the most respected, active and experienced protagonists of quality in the world. Before the meeting, we took a group photo of all participants (IAQ Academician and Associate Academician).

(Left 2nd row: Mr.  Anil Sachdev, Mr. J Ravikant, Prof. Azat Abdrakhmanov, Dr. Ngo Van Nhon, Mr. Juhani Anttila and I;

Left 1st row: Mr. Janak K. Mehta, Prof. Noriaki Kano,   Ms. Elizabeth M. Keim, Prof. Miroslav Drljaca and Prof. Mohamed Zairi)

In the beginning, Mr. Janak Mehta gave welcome speech and appreciated Ms. Elizabeth M. Keim (President, IAQ) to lead IAQ development.

Then Prof. Noriaki Kano gave greeting remarks on IAQ.

After that Ms. Elizabeth M. Keim presented IAQ Founders medal to Mr. Janak Mehta for his contribution and distinguished service to the Academy. 

In Knowledge Sharing Session, Prof. Miroslav Drijaca (Head of IMS and Consulting Dept., Zagreb Airport, Croatia) was our new associate academician and his sharing topic entitled “Quality as a Strategy”.

ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Technical Visit

Asian Network for Quality (ANQ) Congress 2018 was held in InterContinental Hotel, Almaty, Kazakhstan was held from 19-20 Sep 2018. The congress theme was “The Future of Quality Leadership in IT-Age”.  After ANQ Congress, Prof. Azat arranged two companies for technical visit on 21 Sep 2018.  Since I needed to attend IAQ general meeting and symposium.  Minda joined with SQI team to visit two companies.  The first company named «TOKYO ROPE ALMATY» LLP.  The group photo was taken inside the factory.

Then they visited the production line such as steel covered by aluminum-zine alloy.

Some welding process was observed.

The product used to gather stone to prevent falling stones from the mountain.  Left hand side was produced by others competitor with low quality.  Right hand side was their product.

There were 17000 tones output per year export to near countries.

The second company visited was «ALMATY PRODUCT» LLP which was food industry. It had established since 2002 and got national award in 2017.  In the beginning, all participants had tried their products.

Then they discussed the specification of each product and there were more than 200 types. They employed TQM pyramid and their cornerstone is quality

All participants needed to change lab coat before visit inside the factory.  Their products exported to China, Russia, and German using national standard.

Finally, Minda represented HKSQ to present our 30^th anniversary book to the representative for memory.

Reference:

Asian Network for Quality (ANQ) - http://www.anforq.org/

ANQ 2017 - http://www.anq2017.org/

HKSQ - http://www.hksq.org/index.asp

KOQIM - http://quality-managers.org/index.php?lang=en

About Prof. Azat

20180917: Pre-ANQ Congress 2018 – WACQ Meeting in Kazakhstan - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/pre-anq-congress-2018-wacq-meeting-in.html

20180918: Pre-ANQ Congress 2018 City Tour in Almaty, Kazakhstan - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/pre-anq-congress-2017-city-tour-in.html

20180919: ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Day 1 (Part A) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/anq-congress-2018-almaty-kazakhstan-day.html

20180919: ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Day 1 (Part B) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/anq-congress-2018-almaty-kazakhstan-day_19.html

20180920: ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Day 2 - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/anq-congress-2018-almaty-kazakhstan-day_20.html

20180920: ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Gala Dinner - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/09/anq-congress-2018-almaty-kazakhstan.html

ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Gala Dinner

Asian Network for Quality (ANQ) Congress 2018 was held in InterContinental Hotel, Almaty, Kazakhstan was held from 19-20 Sep 2018. The congress theme was “The Future of Quality Leadership in IT-Age”.  The ANQ Congress 2018 – Gala Dinner was held on 20 Sep 2018.  In the beginning, Prof. Azat Abdrakhmanov (Chairman of the Congress Organizing Committee, Chairman of ANQ & President of KOQIM) gave an opening speech of gala dinner and arranged traditional performance to us.

Kazakh man song

Kazakh girl song

I took a wide photo to show the whole hall.

Then I had a toast with Prof. Kano, Mr. Metha and Liza in Head Table.

We together SQI and CSQ had a toast to Prof. Azat for ANQ Congress 2018 performed successfully.

ANQ Congress 2018 Almaty, Kazakhstan – Day 2

Asian Network for Quality (ANQ) Congress 2018 was held in InterContinental Hotel, Almaty, Kazakhstan was held from 19-20 Sep 2018. The congress theme was “The Future of Quality Leadership in IT-Age”.  The second day of ANQ Congress 2018 was held on 20 Sep 2018.  Morning session was parallel sessions.  HKSQ team took a photo in front of the Congress banner.

Parallel Session III

I attended the session C2 (Technology and Models for Business Excellence) late.  Mr. Too was the session chair.  At that time the speaker was Mr. D.M. Liao (REDI, Taiwan) and his presentation entitled “The Promotion of Reliability Management and Engineering Practices Model – Machine Tool Industry as Example”.  He said the reliability enhancement tools proposed by Reliability Engineering Development Institute (REDI) since June 2016.

Mr. Liao introduced REDI-PRM^® (REDI-Reliability Practice Model) with other tools including FMEA, CADM, QC 7 tools and FRACAS, etc. REDI-PRM^® was the most effective, efficient, and fundamental methods to achieve both the quality and reliability goals. 

And then I went to the session C3 (Service Excellence and Customer Satisfaction).  Ms. Elizabeth M. Keim (Managing Partner, Integrated Quality Resources; President, IAQ) was last speaker of the session and her topic entitled “Using Lean Six Sigma to Improve Customer Experience”.  She aimed participants would become familiar with methods for determining customers’ experience and understand how results of customers’ experience could be improved using LSS.  

Ms. Elizabeth Keim briefed the different among Customer Experience, Customer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction and Customer Loyalty.  For measuring customer loyalty, she suggested to use Net Promoter Score (NPS). 

Then she briefed the sources of customer-oriented data included Usability testing, Surveys, Focus groups, Heuristic evaluations, Competitive analyses, Complaint tracking, Referral tracking and Social media monitoring.  And the she discussed Kano Theory of Attractive Quality.  Lastly, she shared the practical implications of the research on the efficacy of self-assessment that organizational maturity impacts the value of framework-based evaluations.  

Prof. Wan Seon Shin (President of KSPE, Former President of KSQM and Professor, Sungkyunkwan University) was the session chair and presented appreciation certificate to Ms. Elizabeth Keim.

During the break, I took a photo with Mr. Too Meng Ken (SQI).