The CEO of Siemens Juergen Maier will be headline speaker at this year’s enhanced Digitalising Manufacturing Conference.
Held at the state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology Centre near Coventry on October 30, the event has expanded to two days in its third year.
The new-look conference, entitled Driving competitiveness and productivity of UK industry through digitalisation, will feature seminars, workshops, panel discussions, exhibits and networking opportunities.
The programme will explore policy driving the digital era and also provide key information and know-how for businesses looking to be part of this must-do technological revolution.
Prof Maier is one of the UK’s leading figures on digitalising manufacturing, and has been tasked by the UK Government department BEIS to lead a new review on Industrial Digitalisation for UK Manufacturing.
He said: “Digitalising manufacturing is a massive opportunity to transform our industry into one of the most productive and competitive in the world.
“If we get it right, we will raise prosperity, increase exports and create more jobs than we displace through the implementation of the digital technologies themselves.
“Getting it wrong, would mean we see a further decline of our manufacturing sector as we progress through the next decade.
“That would be irresponsible, so please come along to this conference and join the movement to be at the forefront of this digital manufacturing revolution.”
The schedule of this year’s event is expected to attract a widespread audience – particularly end users and SMEs, with the two-day programme having a strong focus on how businesses can be fully prepared to be part of the future digital landscape.
Under the stewardship of Maier, the opening day will examine policy, skills and best practice with the final day focussing on how to drive digitisation in business.
Dr Lina Huertas, head of technology strategy for digital manufacturing at the MTC, has hailed this year’s event a ‘must attend’ for those businesses about to embark on their digitalisation journey.
She said: “This conference is one of the few in the UK that has an end user focus. This year we have expanded the programme to include a whole day dedicated to the practical side so individual manufacturers can get information that is valuable for them in that process.
“This conference will provide the right information, help understand the potential barriers and what to do when that happens. In addition, the conference will still maintain a policy element that has been well received in recent years, with an array of international speakers being lined up.”