Manufacturing Supply Chain & Inventory Forum visitor
From Supply Chain Pressure to Operational Resilience
September 24 2026 | The Eastside Rooms, Birmingham
UK manufacturers are under pressure from every direction. Volatile demand, inconsistent supplier performance, rising costs, and tighter working capital are reshaping day-to-day operations, while expectations around delivery reliability and service levels remain higher than ever.
For those responsible for supply chain, operations, inventory, and planning, the challenge is no longer just about efficiency. It’s about making the right call fast, when every decision around what to buy, what to make, and what to hold carries immediate financial and operational consequences.
This summit is built for people living that reality: a focused, peer-led forum where you can step away from the firefighting, benchmark against others facing the same pressures, and leave with practical insight you can actually use, not theory, not sales pitches. Just meaningful conversations with industry peers navigating the same challenges.
About the event
Built for manufacturers operating in a complex, unpredictable world.
UK manufacturers are navigating supply chain conditions that no single fix or top-down strategy can solve. Volatile demand, unreliable supplier performance, rising costs, and working capital pressure are not background noise. They are driving decisions on the shop floor every single day.
To keep those conversations relevant, the summit runs across two streams: Enterprise, for manufacturers with turnover exceeding £25m, and Growth, for those in the £10m to £25m range. Each stream brings together businesses at a similar scale, so the challenges on the table and the peers around it genuinely match your own.
Designed around the real trade-offs manufacturers face every day. What to hold, what to make, how to manage cost without sacrificing service. No fluff, no filler.
A closed, focused forum for senior professionals. No vendor pitches, no keynote theory. Just structured roundtable conversations with people who operate in the same environment and face the same pressures.
This is not a generic supply chain event. Every discussion topic has been built around the specific challenges facing UK manufacturers across production, inventory, and procurement.
Speakers and Roundtable Discussion Leaders
Keynote Presentations
How better data, AI and human expertise can improve inventory performance and reduce Total Cost of Ownership
- Creating a trusted data foundation to improve visibility and support better supply chain and inventory decisions.
- Exploring the practical application of AI and machine learning alongside human expertise to improve MRO processes, procurement and inventory performance.
- Sharing the lessons learned, challenges encountered and measurable results from transforming the indirect supply chain.
Keynote Speaker: Simon Hilton Senior Vice President of Business Development & Marketing RS Integrated Supply
Supply chain teams face constant pressure from shifting demand, supplier disruption and operational constraints — yet critical decisions still depend on periodic reviews and the expertise of a handful of individuals.
Drawing on lessons from managing supply chains at extraordinary scale, this session explores how AI-powered decision-making can move organisations beyond reactive firefighting towards earlier intervention and more confident action.
- From experience to augmented intelligence – capturing and extending planner expertise to improve decision consistency while reducing reliance on individuals
- From reacting to anticipating – using continuous signal monitoring to identify emerging risks earlier and give teams more time to respond
- From alerts to action – connecting planning, inventory and procurement signals to evaluate options, balance constraints and support better-informed decisions
Keynote Speaker: Massimo Guido Principal – Applied AI Solutions AWS
Enterprise Roundtable Discussion Topics
As supply chains face increasing disruption, volatility and uncertainty, what does genuine resilience look like in practice? This interactive roundtable will bring together manufacturers to share experiences, challenges and approaches to building more responsive and adaptable supply chains.
Through open discussion, we’ll explore how organisations are improving their visibility, responding to changing conditions and making confident decisions when faced with disruption.
- From fragmented signals to better visibility – how are organisations bringing together information across planning, procurement and operations to identify risks and respond effectively?
- From fixed plans to greater agility – how are manufacturers adapting their planning and decision-making in response to supplier disruption, demand volatility and changing market conditions?
- From individual expertise to shared capability – how can organisations capture knowledge, strengthen collaboration and ensure effective decision-making is not dependent on a small number of individuals?
Discussion Leaders:
David Merricks, Head of Supply Chain Performance, Bakkavor (part of Greencore)
Richard Turnbull Head of Manufacturing & Automotive AWS
Jas Deol AWS Client Director AWS
As supply chains become more complex and unpredictable, resilience is no longer about responding to disruption but anticipating it. This interactive discussion will explore how AI can help manufacturers identify risks earlier, evaluate alternative scenarios and make faster, better-informed decisions across increasingly interconnected supply networks. Participants will share practical experiences, challenges and opportunities for building more agile and resilient operations.
- Where are we still relying on static contingency plans, and how could AI-driven scenario modelling improve preparedness?
- How could AI uncover hidden supply chain vulnerabilities before disruption occurs?
- How can AI support faster decisions on sourcing, logistics and production when disruption strikes?
Discussion Leaders:
Richard Wilkins, Plan to Fulfill S/4 Transformation Director, Mars
Mark Feathers Senior Principal Product Marketing Manager Epicor
Cerys Price UKI Field Marketing Epicor
Digital tools such as ERP, MRP, predictive analytics, and emerging AI applications are becoming central to supply chain decision-making, although practical adoption remains uneven. The emphasis is on real-world application within manufacturing environments, what delivers measurable value, how systems are integrated into daily operations, and how governance is applied to AI and automation initiatives.
- From data to decisions: Where are digital tools delivering real improvements in forecasting, planning, inventory and visibility?
- Making technology work: How are manufacturers integrating digital tools without creating more complexity or manual workarounds?
- Scaling AI with confidence: What does it take to move AI beyond experimentation while maintaining data quality, governance and trust?
Discussion Leaders:
Douglas Agnew, External Manufacturing Tech Director, GSK
Simon Hilton Senior Vice President of Business Development & Marketing RS Integrated Supply
Chris Martin Head of Business Development RS Integrated Supply
- Where are current inventory strategies falling short, and what is driving excess, obsolete or insufficient stock?
- How are manufacturers balancing working capital and service expectations when demand and lead times remain difficult to predict?
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What changes to inventory policies, processes and cross-functional decision-making could deliver better outcomes?
- Natalia Gandara-Vilas, Head of Supply Chain Europe, HCT by kdc/one
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Olivia Stinton, Director, Enterprise Sales, UiPath Manufacturing Solutions
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Tom Hassall, Director, Applied Sciences, UiPath Manufacturing Solutions
Growth Roundtable Discussion Topics
SME manufacturers often face greater exposure to supplier disruption due to smaller purchasing volumes and reliance on a limited number of key suppliers. This discussion explores practical strategies for improving resilience without significantly increasing cost or complexity. Focus areas include supplier diversification, managing long lead times, nearshoring opportunities, and improving visibility across the supply chain.
Discussion Leaders:
Carla Ford, Group Head of Procurement & Procurement Excellence, Ineos
Caroline Keohane Head of Industry Growth Food and Drink Federation
While digital technologies offer significant potential, many SMEs struggle to justify investment or identify where to begin. This discussion focuses on practical, achievable improvements that deliver measurable benefits. Participants will share experiences of implementing ERP, MRP, inventory management, forecasting, and AI-enabled tools within resource-constrained manufacturing environments.
Discussion Leaders:
Bertille Gleize-Wheeler, Former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Gu Desserts
Caroline Keohane Head of Industry Growth Food and Drink Federation
Accurate demand forecasting is critical to getting the balance right between customer service, production efficiency and inventory. But with increasingly volatile markets and changing customer demand, how can businesses improve forecasting and respond quickly when reality differs from the plan? This roundtable will explore practical approaches to turning demand signals into better supply chain decisions.
- How can businesses improve forecast accuracy by combining data, customer insight and market intelligence?
- How can businesses better balance demand, production and inventory to avoid shortages, excess stock and unnecessary working capital?
- How can planning processes become more agile so that teams can respond quickly to changing demand and unexpected disruption?
Discussion Leaders:
Simon Martin, Head of Global Manufacturing. Yunex Traffic
Andrew Mansfield, Senior Supply Chain Manager, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Agenda
| 11:00 | Registration & Refreshments |
| 11:30 | Chair’s Welcome |
| 11:40 | Roundtable: Tackling Today’s Most Pressing Supply Chain Challenges Peer-led discussions on forecasting, inventory optimisation, supplier resilience and demand volatility. |
| 12:30 | Comfort Break |
| 12:40 | Keynote: From Expediting to Foresight: How AI is Changing Supply Chain Decision-Making |
| 12:55 | Keynote: Building an Intelligent MRO Supply Chain |
| 13:10 | Q&A with Keynote Speakers and Audience |
| 13:25 | Hosted Lunch & Peer Networking |
| 14:10 | Roundtable: Learning from What’s Working in Manufacturing Supply Chains Practical conversations on digital supply chains, ERP, AI and operational visibility. |
| 15:00 | Comfort Break |
| 15:10 | Industry Pulse Check: How Does Your Operation Compare? Live audience benchmarking against the room. |
| 15:20 | Roundtable: Preparing for Future Challenges and Opportunities Share lessons learned and set your priorities for future investment and transformation. |
| 16:10 |
Chair’s Closing Remarks |
| 16:30 | Networking Reception: Continue the Conversation |
Who attends
A forum for manufacturing decision-makers.
Everyone in the room holds direct responsibility for supply chain performance, inventory, production planning, or procurement within a manufacturing business. These are not observers. They are the people accountable for getting it right.
The forum is complimentary to attend
Important Notice: Attendee Criteria
The forum topics are tailored primarily for senior leaders (we will have 2 streams: enterprise (exceeding £25m) and growth (£10m-£25m)). Suppliers, vendors and sales or marketing roles from companies that sell to manufacturers are not eligible to attend. This ensures meaningful, peer-to-peer discussions among attendees facing similar challenges and opportunities.
Community
*Please note: Delegate places are reserved exclusively for senior manufacturing professionals. Suppliers, vendors and sales or marketing roles from companies that sell to manufacturers are not eligible to attend.