The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently recognized a speedboat innovator in Misamis Oriental as the agency’s most industry 4.0-ready assisted Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). AJIS Dive and Aqua Sports Inc., a pioneer fiberglass speed boat manufacturer in Northern Mindanao led by its president Mr. Allan Sagrado, was presented the iREADY Award during the opening ceremony of the 2023 National Science, Technology and Innovation Week celebration last November 22 in Iloilo City.
The iREADY Award, a national award by DOST, aims to recognize MSMEs positioned to embrace Industry 4.0 technologies in their operations. The readiness index, gauged through pillars such as organization, data, hardware, software, and people, determined the deserving recipients. In recognition of their preparedness, the awarded firm received a cash prize of Php 100,000.00.
AJIS, which has a production facility in Opol, Misamis Oriental received first DOST assistance in 2019 through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), to which they acquired a 2-Axis CNC Router with Rhino 3D Software – a computer-controlled cutting machine for different types of surfaces. The CNC Router machine enabled the firm to significantly improve the quality of their boats, especially for 17 and 36-footer speed boats and yachts. It has also adopted sensor technology, real-time location systems, and machine-to-machine communication in their boats which are now being sold in various parts of the country, such as Manila, Cebu, Palawan, Tawi-tawi, and many other areas.
The company observed a rise in both gross sales and workforce following the assistance from DOST. This support played a crucial role in their transition from a microenterprise to a small enterprise, contributing significantly to their overall growth.
The firm also plans to use more advanced technologies in the next five years including Radio Frequency Identification, 3D scanners and others.
