The Manufacturer’s Digital Manufacturing Week, in Liverpool this coming November, brings together technology, finance and manufacturers in an annual celebration of British industry, writes Event Director James Smith.
Six thousand future-facing manufacturing executives in the same place, at the same time – with enough space to reach out to one another and build better businesses.
That, in a nutshell, is what we are bringing to the table with Digital Manufacturing Week 2018 – five days of factory tours, awards, workshops and high-level conferences that reach a crescendo in the middle of November in everyone’s favourite city, Liverpool.
Viewed from a distance of six months out, you will be impressed by the size and focus of Digital Manufacturing Week, our track record of successfully scaling up (50% growth each year, for the past four years, with 80%+ visitor satisfaction ratings), and the deep roots we have planted in the UK’s biggest advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
But if we ‘pop the hood’ and take a closer look at how the event is changing, I hope you will see the impact Digital Manufacturing Week could have on your team – helping you take advantage of the disruptive technologies underpinning the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Smart Factory Expo
- Six visitor zones – Smart Factory, Industrial Automation, Digital Transformation, Internet of Things, Manufacturing Innovation and Manufacturing Finance;
- Six Solutions Theatres mirroring the focus of the visitor zones, with presentations running every 20 minutes across the two days, combining to create the largest free-to-attend manufacturing conference in Europe;
- Consultancy Clinics offering drop-in access to 15-minute advisory meetings with specialists on business transformation, IP protection, HR, growth consultancy and financing;
- VIP lounge for senior-level visitors to grab a drink, sit down and connect with their peers;
- Innovation Alley, a shop window for UK start-ups to demonstrate how they can help manufacturers;
- Speakers Corner with a full schedule of speakers sharing their manufacturing passion across two days;
- Women in Digital Manufacturing – the industry-leading event for everyone looking to redress the gender imbalance, and ensure that manufacturers do not cut themselves off from half the available talent.
The list of new features is long – but clearly the most enjoyable time you’ll ever spend in an exhibition hall, or your money back. (It’s free).
Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit
The UK’s largest manufacturing conference – bar none – and for good reason: 1,000 manufacturing leaders, split across 10 streams, across two days, adjacent to all the bells and whistles of Smart Factory Expo.
Combining industry keynotes from the biggest names in UK manufacturing – along with deep-dive sessions tailored to Industrial Leadership, Finance, Exports, Innovation, Future Factory, Digital Transformation, Industrial Automation, Big Data, Talent and Logistics – a manufacturer-to-manufacturer conference for movers, shakers and makers.
The Manufacturer Top 100
Amid all the attention paid to the role of technology, it is people that power the Fourth Industrial Revolution. For the past five years, The Manufacturer Top 100 has celebrated the individuals that make the biggest difference in UK manufacturing – from senior leaders to rising stars.
This year we pay particular attention, along with our Top 100 partner Salesforce, to all the winners of the past half-decade – with an exhibition of all 500 Top 100 winners in the foyer of Smart Factory Expo. Come celebrate with us, and be inspired by the role models that make British industry Great.
TMMX Awards
The Manufacturer Manufacturing Excellence (TMMX) Awards, run by The Manufacturer and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the most rigorous, prestigious awards programme, taking place during Digital Manufacturing Week in Liverpool.
Grab your (preferably velveteen) dinner jacket or frock, and join almost 1,000 other guests as history is made. See you there!