Draft agenda - subject to change
DAY ONE - Tuesday, 28th October 2026
07:45 - 08:30
REGISTRATION, REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING
08:30 - 08:40
Chair’s Welcome and Opening Remarks
THINK TANK CHALLENGES
The summit opens with our Think Tank Challenges. Attendees rotate through three 25-minute small-group discussions, exploring the industry challenges most relevant to them and sharing practical ideas and solutions with peers and industry experts.
08:45 - 09:10
Think Tank Challenge 1
Working Think Tank Challenge topics:
- From Pilot to Plant: Scaling Digital Initiatives Successfully
Explore strategies to transition from pilot projects to full-scale digital implementations. - Building Resilient Operations in a Disruptive Landscape
Learn how to enhance operational agility amidst rapid industry changes.
- Supply Chain Execution Systems: The Brains Behind the Bots
Discover why orchestration software is becoming the key differentiator in warehouse automation.
- Industrial AI: Transforming Manufacturing Processes
Understand the practical applications of AI in manufacturing.
- Digital Twins: Bridging Physical and Digital Worlds
Explore the use of digital twins to optimise manufacturing operations.
- Cybersecurity in Smart Manufacturing
Address the growing cybersecurity challenges in digital manufacturing.
- Data-Driven Decision Making in Manufacturing
Leverage data analytics to inform strategic decisions.
- Sustainable Manufacturing: Achieving Green Goals
Incorporate sustainability into manufacturing processes.
- Workforce Transformation in the Digital Age
Prepare your workforce for the demands of modern manufacturing.
- Leveraging IoT for Operational Excellence
Utilise IoT technologies to enhance manufacturing efficiency.
- From Predictive Insight to Operational Impact:
Scaling Action Across the Enterprise
- Advanced Robotics and Automation
Explore the integration of robotics into manufacturing workflows.
- Cloud Computing in Manufacturing
Understand the role of cloud technologies in modern manufacturing.
09:15 - 09:40
Think Tank Challenge 2
Think Tanks Challenge topics repeated as above
09:45 - 10:10
Think Tank Challenge 3
Think Tanks Challenge topics repeated as above
10:10 - 10:35
COFFEE AND NETWORKING
10:35 - 11:00
OPENING KEYNOTE
Digital Reality: An Ongoing Journey
Most digital transformation case studies present a finished story. This isn’t one of them. Having recently returned as President and CEO of Laystrom Manufacturing, Colin Cosgrove shares what digital transformation really looks like inside a growing 75-year-old precision sheet metal manufacturer. From legacy systems to AI-assisted quoting, collaborative robotics and lights-out manufacturing, this session explores the realities of balancing people, processes and technology while building for the future.
Key takeaways:
- What does digital transformation look like inside a mid-sized manufacturer?
- What lessons can be learned from adopting AI, automation and advanced manufacturing technologies?
- How can manufacturers balance legacy systems with modern technologies?
- Why are people and processes just as important as technology?
- How can manufacturing leaders prepare for what’s next?
Colin Cosgrove, CEO & President, Laystrom Manufacturing Company
Meeting session 1
11:05 - 11:30
CASE STUDY
Applying Agentic AI for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) in Smart Manufacturing
- Applying effective MRO lifecycle data in optimising hardware and technology performance across the manufacturing sector.
- How are data quality issues undermining real-time asset management and maintenance workflows in manufacturing operations.
- Uncovering agentic AI-driven tools which resolve reliability data gaps and improve margin gains
Meeting session 2
11:35 - 12:00
CASE STUDY
Accelerating the Digital Manufacturing Journey Through Operational Excellence
A look at how integrating continuous improvement frameworks with digital capabilities helps streamline product supply and drive sustainable manufacturing performance.
Aligning Strategy: Connecting digital transformation initiatives with core Operational Excellence frameworks to ensure measurable business value.
Integrated Capability: Practical approaches to embedding digital tools and capabilities across global product supply networks.
Empowering the Workforce: Building future-ready skills to support continuous improvement and drive long-term digital adoption.
Meeting session 3
12:05 - 12:30
DATA CASE STUDY
Generate value and create optimized visualizations to build a secure and robust ecosystem for your organization’s data
Key takeaways:
- Reduce production costs by quickly and accurately identifying production bottlenecks.
- Increase production quality by exploring key indicators on the factory floor.
- Ensure environmentally impactful planning by guaranteeing compliance with protocols.
- Enhance the productive capacity of the factory floor by discovering process opportunities through data.
Tiago Machado
Co-Founder
ST-One
Meeting session 4
12:30 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH
13:30 - 13:55
CASE STUDY
Manage both plant operations and energy efficiency through one connected platform
Key takeaways:
- Build margin improvement and operational visibility with key metrics such as machine runtime and production
- Increase operational sustainability and reduce energy costs with real-time visibility into energy efficiency
- Drive continuous improvement, informed by accurate data across the entire plant operation, towards more data driven, sustainable operations.
Lauren Dunford, CEO & Co-Founder, Guidewheel
Meeting session 5
14:00 - 14:25
CASE STUDY
How digitalisation can drive sustainable manufacturing practices Why Lean Comes Before Digital Manufacturing Transformation
Regulatory initiatives like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act are pushing companies to align with low-carbon goals.
Technologies such as green hydrogen, closed-loop recycling, and energy-efficient production systems are being deployed at scale. So how can digital transformation drive sustainable, profitable manufacturing?
Utilising IoT technology, advanced energy management systems, and predictive analytics to drastically cut energy usage and emissions. Understanding the role of data optimisation in demand planning and sustainable manufacturing supply chains to create cost efficiencies.
Mohamad Sadek, Global Head of Continuous Improvement
Meeting session 6
14:30 - 14:55
CASE STUDY
The blind spot in your AI strategy
If your factory is built to stop, you won’t get Physical AI to run.
- Most factories in 2026 must halt production to deploy a configuration change, an integration or an AI model. This can cost up to $2 million per stop.
- Physical AI raises the stakes: it consumes live machine state, in real time and bidirectionally. Physical AI cannot run on an architecture that needs maintenance windows.
- With the right data foundation, manufacturing leaders like Porsche and Miele continuously improve their production – tested, versioned, zero downtime.
Stefan Schwab, Co-CEO, Cybus
Meeting session 7
15:00 - 15:25
CASE STUDY
Leading Change in the Digital Factory
Digital transformation is about more than technology—it’s about bringing people along on the journey. This session explores how effective change management helps manufacturers build stakeholder buy-in, overcome resistance, align operations and IT, and drive lasting adoption.
You’ll gain practical strategies for engaging teams, securing executive support and ensuring digital investments deliver measurable operational improvements.
Key takeaways:
- Why people—not technology—are often the biggest determinant of digital transformation success.
- Strategies for gaining buy-in across operations, engineering, IT and leadership.
- Common change management pitfalls and how to avoid them.
- Practical methods for driving adoption while maintaining operational performance.
- Building a culture that supports continuous digital innovation rather than one-time technology deployments.
Meeting session 8
15:25 - 15:50
COFFEE AND NETWORKING
15:50 - 16:15
PRESENTATION
Faster Time-To-Market manufacturing mitigating costly slowdowns, rework, and compliance risks
- Integrate supply chain into the product lifecycle for improved time-to-market
- Monitor conformance, traceability, and model fidelity across your ecosystem.
- Feed analytics and AI engines with structured, reliable supplier data.
Frank Popielas, COO, Capvidia
Meeting session 9
16:20 - 16:45
CASE STUDY
Faster Time-To-Market manufacturing mitigating costly slowdowns, rework, and compliance risk.
- Integrate supply chain into the product lifecycle for improved time-to-market
- Monitor conformance, traceability, and model fidelity across your ecosystem.
- Feed analytics and AI engines with structured, reliable supplier data.
JJ Russell, VP of Sales, VSimple
Meeting session 10
16:50 - 17:35
CLOSING PANEL DISCUSSION
Turning Manufacturing Data into Competitive Advantage
Manufacturers have more data than ever before—but many still struggle to convert it into faster decisions, better performance and measurable business value. This panel explores how leading organisations are transforming data into a strategic asset.
Key questions we’ll answer:
- How can real-time data improve operational performance and decision-making?
- What does a successful manufacturing data strategy look like?
- How can organisations improve data quality, governance and visibility?
- How do you balance greater connectivity with cybersecurity and resilience?
- Where will AI, analytics and industrial data platforms deliver the greatest value?
Sugato Bose, Senior Director, Enterprise Architecture – Information Technology, Medline
17:35 - 17:40
Chair's Closing Remarks
17:45 - 18:45
DRINKS RECEPTION
DAY TWO – Wedesday, 29th October 2026
07:45 - 08:30
REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING
08:30 - 08:40
Chair's opening remarks
08:45 - 09:30
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Small group discussions tackling your most critical challenges
Working Roundtable topics:
- Integrating AI into Legacy Systems
- Strategies for Effective Change Management
- Enhancing Supplier Collaboration through Technology
- Implementing Digital Twins for Quality Control
- Cybersecurity Best Practices for Manufacturing
- Optimising Supply Chain Visibility
- Leveraging Data Analytics for Forecasting
- Developing a Roadmap for Digital Transformation
- Sustainable Practices in Manufacturing Operations
- Training, Retaining & Upskilling a Digitally Skilled Workforce
09:35 - 10:00
CYBER SECURITY KEYNOTE
Manufacturing in the Crosshairs: Lessons from the World's Most Targeted Industry
- What are manufacturers still getting wrong when it comes to cybersecurity?
- Which attack vectors represent the greatest risk to modern manufacturing?
- How can organisations reduce cyber risk while accelerating digital transformation?
- What practical steps should leaders take to improve operational resilience?
- How can cybersecurity become a business enabler rather than a barrier to innovation?
Meeting session 11
10:00 - 10:25
COFFEE AND NETWORKING
10:25 - 10:50
IT/OT CASE STUDY
Unifying IT/OT systems with seamless edge data integration for an interoperable IIoT infrastructure
Best practices for modernising outdated OT to enable secure and resilient IT/OT convergence.
- How to ensure the integrity and reliability of data streams from integrated legacy and OT systems for accurate insights and automation?
- What proven cybersecurity protocols mitigate escalating risks in interconnected IT/OT environments, considering evolving regulations?
- What network segmentation architectures are critical for a disruption-ready factory, safeguarding converged IT/OT systems?
Shashank Sharma, Senior Product Marketing Manager, HiveMQ
Meeting session 12
10:55 - 11:20
PILOT TO PLANT CASE STUDY
Leading Digital Transformation Beyond the Pilot Phase
This session explores the leadership, governance and organisational changes needed to turn successful pilots into business-wide transformation.
- Scaling successful pilots into enterprise-wide transformation.
- Building leadership support and cross-functional alignment.
- Creating governance that balances innovation with operational stability.
- Measuring transformation through business value and operational outcomes.
Meeting session 13
11:25 - 11:50
CONNECTIVITY SESSION
Connectivity is Critical: Building Real-Time Data Collection, Automation and Scalable Network Expansion
- Evolution of 5G private networks: defending against data loss, protecting data storage and enhancing transmission capabilities
- Network connectivity and real-time equipment monitoring: Network APIs, Intelligent Overlays and Hyperconnectivity
- Real-time data transmission to multiple field operators: facilitating collaboration across operating regions, optimising IoT deployment and enhancing plant safety
Mike Weller, Global Head of Manufacturing Practice, Verizon
Meeting session 14
11:55 - 12:20
INTEROPERABILITY SESSION
From Factory Floor to Cloud: Enabling Scalable Interoperability Through OPC UA
- Discover how OPC UA enables seamless IT/OT integration and supports scalable digital manufacturing architectures.
- Learn how the new OPC UA Cloud Initiative connects factory floor data with major cloud platforms and analytics tools.
- Explore real-world use cases showing OPC UA in action for digital twins, predictive maintenance, and edge-to-cloud deployments.
- Understand the role of open standards in modernizing legacy systems and unlocking long-term interoperability.
Stefan Hoppe, President, OPC Foundation
Meeting session 15
12:20 - 13:20
LUNCH
13:20 - 13:45
OPEX CASE STUDY
Driving Operational Excellence Through AI and Data
This session explores how one manufacturer is using AI, connected data and digital tools to improve efficiency, quality and plant performance.
Key takeaways:
- Identifying the digital initiatives delivering the greatest operational value.
- Using data and AI to improve productivity, quality and asset performance.
- Lessons learned from implementing digital change across manufacturing operations.
- Where the organisation is focusing its next phase of investment.
13:50 - 14:35
CLOSING PANEL
What's Next? The Manufacturing Digital Roadmap for the Next 24 Months
- Which technologies will have the biggest impact on manufacturing over the next 24 months?
- How can manufacturers build a trusted data foundation for AI and advanced analytics?
- What are the biggest barriers to scaling digital transformation—and how can they be overcome?
- How can organisations modernise legacy systems without disrupting operations?
- What will the most successful manufacturers be doing differently by 2027?
14:35 - 14:45
Chair's Closing Remarks
Manufacturers only permitted to attend as delegates.
Interested in Sponsoring? Call +44 (0) 20 3004 8930 or learn more here.
Interested in Sponsoring? Call +44 (0) 20 3004 8930 or learn more here.