ST Engineering iDirect’s Manufacturing Competence Center Celebrates Fourth Factory of the Future Award

ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, has won the prestigious Factory of the Future award for its Manufacturing Competence Center (MCC) for the fourth time, demonstrating continued focus on quality, innovative and sustainable manufacturing technologies and processes. This award is an affirmation of ST Engineering iDirect’s commitment and its leading position as a trailblazer in European manufacturing.

Located in Erpe-Mere, Belgium, ST Engineering iDirect’s MCC has come to represent the pinnacle of best-in-class, future proof and sustainable manufacturing. The MCC received the Factory of the Future Award in 2015, 2018 and 2021.

“To receive this award for the fourth time is a great source of pride for the entire MCC team. We work incredibly hard to deliver products of the highest standard. Our customers place great trust in us and it’s that trust that drives us to constantly improve, using innovative approaches and technologies. We relish the challenging designs that our customers bring to us and therefore it’s important that we can deliver on every one of those. We need a facility that can move as fast as the technology, and that’s why we have created a future-proof environment at the cutting edge, where innovation can thrive,” said Tom Hamelinckx, Plant Manager at ST Engineering iDirect.

Now in its tenth year, the Factory of the Future award recognizes enterprising companies across Europe that consistently push the boundaries of innovation and continue to raise the bar. As the world moves to Industry 4.0, the Factory of the Future judges look for achievements that individual companies have made in terms of technology, efficiency, automation, quality, sustainability and workforce growth.

ST Engineering iDirect’s MCC fulfilled all seven areas of transformation required to qualify for the 2024 award including: advanced manufacturing technologies, integrated engineering, digital factory, networked factory, eco factory, smart manufacturing; and human-centred organization. Responses were rated and audited by experts in these fields. Transformation across these seven domains serves as a catalyst for companies in the areas of skills and talent development, technology advancement, and overall competitiveness.

Factories of the Future are integral for the European manufacturing sector and ensure that production in Europe can continue in a competitive way. It is also essential that European governmental programs are assured of an in-continent supply chain that can be relied upon and can swiftly adapt to changing market demands.