Cooperation agreement in the standards industry

The two standards bodies DIN and VDE DKE have signed a contract for closer cooperation with the standards institute Enterprise Singapore (ESG). The cooperation agreement brings highly industrialized Singapore and Germany closer together in standardization, it is said. The focus is particularly on the areas of Industry 4.0, mobility, artificial intelligence, cyber security and the circular economy. Furthermore, the three standards organizations want to expand the exchange of knowledge between experts and benefit from the different experiences in Europe and Southeast Asia. 

Why standardization is so important

The DIN communication also states that companies in Germany are in the process of tapping into new business opportunities arising from the rapidly advancing urbanization and digitalization in Asia. Only coordinated standardization creates the necessary basis for the networking of various players to form agile value creation networks. This would require a high degree of interoperability and interfaces, which would open up the possibility for both manufacturers and customers to tap into new markets.

Singapore is an important partner in Asia

"Singapore has one of the most successful economies in the world, making it an important partner for German industry in Asia," explains Florian Spiteller, member of the VDE-DKE management board. The city-state at the southern tip of Asia is continuously promoting digital growth - especially where high-tech manufacturing and high-end services interact, for example in the field of cloud computing, augmented reality, machine learning, robotics or in the field of "autonomous vehicles". Meanwhile, according to the World Bank, Singapore is already the fourth largest exporter of high-tech products by value - behind the PRC, Germany and the US. "We need to pool expertise through international collaborations and partnerships, especially in these challenging times. Only in this way can we jointly drive developments and find innovative solutions to current challenges. That is why the trusting and constructive cooperation between DIN, VDE DKE and ESG is so important," says Christoph Winterhalter, Chairman of the DIN Executive Board.

Germany's leading role in standardization

Germany has assumed a leading role in international standardization, particularly in the relevant area of Industry 4.0. "Now we need to build on this position and introduce relevant topics into international standardization in a targeted manner," explains Spiteller. And that, he adds, is also in line with the wishes of the partners from Singapore. "Building partnerships like this is a basic requirement for a strong and robust quality and standards infrastructure in Singapore. This is how we ensure that our standards comply with international nomenclature," says Choy Sauw Kook, General Manager Quality and Excellence at ESG.

Source: DIN