Manufacturing+ supports a Hong Kong manufacturer that has operated locally for at least one year to upgrade an existing operation or production line. Government support is capped at one-third of approved project cost or HK$250,000, whichever is lower, and each enterprise may receive approval for one project only.
Begin with the shop-floor problem
A persuasive case starts with the line as it operates today: where work queues build up, when defects appear, how often a machine is idle and which readings are still recorded by hand. Then show what the proposed change will measure or control differently. A catalogue description of a new machine does not explain why the project deserves support.
Keep a short baseline covering throughput, cycle time, reject rate, downtime and labour hours. Not every measure will matter to every factory, but two or three reliable before-and-after figures make the economic benefit test much easier to answer.
Plan procurement before you promise a start date
Applicants must complete the scheme's e-procurement procedure and the project cannot begin before approval. Do not let a supplier take a deposit, deliver equipment or begin chargeable design work while the application is pending unless the current guidance expressly permits it.
Ask vendors to separate hardware, installation, integration, coaching and recurring charges. The quotation should also state delivery time, acceptance tests and what happens if the equipment cannot exchange data with the existing line.
When a different industrial scheme is closer
Manufacturing+ is designed for a contained upgrade to an existing local operation. A completely new smart production line may belong under NIFS, while a strategic-industry facility costing at least HK$150 million is closer to NIAS. Choosing the right scale saves a small manufacturer from writing an application for a scheme it cannot realistically administer.
Primary sources
These links are published by the programme operator or responsible authority. Recheck them immediately before applying.
Reviewed by the HK Grant Resource editorial desk on 19 September 2026 against the primary sources above.
Read our verification method →