6th - 7th October 2026, Düsseldorf
Agenda
Day 1
08:00 - 08:50
REGISTRATION
08:55 – 09:00
CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS
09:00 - 09:30
A Smart Factory Concept to Accelerate Business Growth
- What requirements are the drivers for the new Smart Factory concept?
- Core elements of the Smart Factory concept:
– “Effective Digitisation”
– new organizational “Production-Line-Management”
– “Continuous Change Management” - What is best roadmap to implement?
- What are the key success factors?
09:30 - 10:00
How to start & strengthen the implementation of your operational (digital) excellence program!
- Research shows that some 70% of (digital) transformations fail as the organizational- and people foundations are not ready to accept/implement the (digital) transformation. However, most transformation projects at P&G do succeed, which rases just 1 question: ‘What does P&G do differently?’
- With IWS, Procter & Gamble/’s OPEX program, P&G builds leadership- and operator capability to drive continuous loss elimination, capability building, and engagement, all factors that are fundamental to transform an organization
- The presentation shows a practical framework what leaders are expected to do to build the needed capability
- The last practical action is how to decide for digital systems and become a smart factory
10:00 - 10:30
What’s blocking digital transformation isn’t technology
According to the 2025 Manufacturing Momentum Report, digital transformation is the #1 strategic priority — and the #1 operational frustration — for over 250 manufacturing leaders. The systems are in place. What’s missing is traction, translation, and trust. Here’s where execution breaks — and how top performers close the gap:
- Where AI and MES shift real P&L levers: margin, cost-per-unit, and working capital
- Why most dashboards and alerts go ignored — and how to make operators act
- What Plant Managers actually need to hit OEE, yield, and throughput — every shift
- How COOs connect floor execution to board-level outcomes — and defend every euro invested
10:35 - 11:25
COFFEE BREAK
11:30 - 12:00
Smart Factory Assessment: How to Start, Scale, and Succeed
- The Hidden Pitfall: Why many digitalization efforts fail at the starting line
- Getting Started: How to figure out exactly where to start without wasting time
– Where are you now? Mapping your digitalization status the smart way
– Mapping your digital maturity within the reference architecture
– Defining the best path for a step-by-step transformation - Reality check: What real-world projects taught us about starting right
12:00 - 12:30
From Losses to Leadership: Unlocking the potential inside your organisation
- Milliken’s transformation from struggle to global benchmark using zero loss thinking
- What is Zero Loss thinking? Identifying invisible waste in operations, safety & culture
- Making Losses visible, tools & techniques to surface hidden performance killers
- Client application – High impact workshops across functions
- Proven Impact – Real world results & case studies
- Get started – Your path to unlocking performance through Loss Workshops
12:30 - 13:00
COMPRESSED AIR INNOVATIONS POWERING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING
- Role of air compressors in modern manufacturing
- Case studies: From Sustainability KPIs to actual results
- How high-speed technology and active magnetic bearings shifts manufacturing to more efficient and sustainable direction?
- Suppliers as part of reliability network in compressed air production
- Utilization of compressor system data for improved production
PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS
- Continuous Improvement / OPEX
- Industry 4.0
- Lean Methodologies
- Sustainability & ESG Software
- 3D Printing for Digital Manufacturing
- Project & Resource Management
- Additive Manufacturing / Factory-as-a-Service
- Connected Factory
- Industry 5.0 Concepts
- Net Zero
- Cybersecurity
- Robotic Automation
- Digital/Software Adoption
- MES / Shop-floor Digitization
- Machine Learning
- Digital Twin
- M2M Communication
- Remote Working
- Plant / Workforce Safety
- Wireless Connectivity
- Cloud, Edge & IoT Data Management
- Asset Performance Management (APM 4.0)
- Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Technologies
- Predictive Analytics / Condition Monitoring
- Green Manufacturing Practices & Initiatives
- Cloud Computing & Sensors
- Asset Management
- Data Analytics / Big Data / Data Management
13:00 - 13:55
LUNCH
14:00 - 14:30
Simulation and Visualisation with digital twin in plant and process planning
- 3D-Visualisation
- Plant simulation
- Digital Twin
- Process optimisation
- Visual components
14:30 - 15:00
AI, Design Automation, and Additive Manufacturing
- Future of design by utilizing 3D Generative AI
- The transition from manual to automated design and process planning
- Industrial use cases of design and process automation
- Synergies of automated design and flexible manufacturing
15:00 - 15:30
Collaboration: The Key to Unlocking Manufacturing Value
- The current business model in global manufacturing is negatively impacting the financial performance of both manufacturers and the solution provider ecosystem, and is inefficient, ineffective and unsustainable for all involved
- In response to this systemic problem, The Quorum Principle™ delivers an innovative strategic approach that, together with C-suite vision and leadership, can drive significant bottom line value by harnessing multi-stakeholder collaboration
- Global initiatives such as Catena-X/Manufacturing-X, the CESMII SM Interoperability Platform and the WEF’s Lighthouse Operating System focus on technical interoperability, but not organisational interoperability
- Founder, CEO, and creator, John Robinson, explains how The Quorum Principle™ improves performance by breaking down silos in manufacturers, and enabling more collaborative working among solution providers
15:35 - 16:25
COFFEE BREAK
16:30 - 17:00
Empowering Sustainable Manufacturing Through No-Code Industrial AI
- AI in Manufacturing: Unlocking the biggest opportunities — and addressing the hidden challenges
- Democratising AI: Winning with no-code — empowering engineers to drive AI success
- Setting Up for Success: Key considerations before starting an AI project
- From Zero to Live Fast: The benefits of rapid AI deployment in manufacturing
- Driving ROI Quickly: How to select use cases that deliver measurable value
- Beyond the Buzz: Real-world examples of AI reducing emissions, energy use, and operational inefficiencies
17:00 - 17:30
From Data to Decisions: Elevating Predictive Maintenance to the Boardroom
- Turn data into strategic value: Discover how predictive maintenance goes beyond uptime to drive profitability, efficiency, and sustainability
- Benchmark your progress: Understand where your organization stands compared to industry leaders and how to move from pilot to full implementation
- Align with boardroom priorities: Learn how to frame predictive maintenance in terms of ROI, ESG impact, and risk management to secure executive buy-in
- Stay competitive in a high-cost environment: See how smart maintenance strategies can reduce energy consumption, optimize resources, and boost resilience
PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS
- Continuous Improvement / OPEX
- Industry 4.0
- Lean Methodologies
- Sustainability & ESG Software
- 3D Printing for Digital Manufacturing
- Project & Resource Management
- Additive Manufacturing / Factory-as-a-Service
- Connected Factory
- Industry 5.0 Concepts
- Net Zero
- Cybersecurity
- Robotic Automation
- Digital/Software Adoption
- MES / Shop-floor Digitization
- Machine Learning
- Digital Twin
- M2M Communication
- Remote Working
- Plant / Workforce Safety
- Wireless Connectivity
- Cloud, Edge & IoT Data Management
- Asset Performance Management (APM 4.0)
- Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Technologies
- Predictive Analytics / Condition Monitoring
- Green Manufacturing Practices & Initiatives
- Cloud Computing & Sensors
- Asset Management
- Data Analytics / Big Data / Data Management
17:30 - 18:00
Successfully Producing in Turbulent Times
- Matrix Production in Flow -> Flexibility and Adaptability enable quick Responsiveness and Efficient Scaling
- Highly Innovative and Resilient Supply Chain Strategies
- People at the Center -> It is through people that our digital factory becomes intelligent
18:00 - 19:00
DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2
08:55 – 09:00
CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS
09:00 - 09:30
Beyond Pilot Paralysis: Building a Sustainable Digital Adoption Flywheel in Manufacturing
- Many manufacturers face “pilot paralysis,” where digital initiatives don’t scale
- Overcoming this requires governance, capabilities, and cultural alignment
- dsm-firmenich uses the Digital Adoption & Value Flywheel to address this
- The framework includes governance, standard architectures, and change management
- dsm-firmenich ‘s examples show success in scaling from pilots to enterprise-wide impact
09:30 - 10:00
Building a Robust AI Ecosystem in Large Enterprises
- Benefits of AI Ecosystems
- Challenges and Solutions
- Use Cases and their implementation
- Future Trends and Innovations
- Conclusion and Takeaways
10:00 - 10:30
Accelerating Smart Manufacturing: Using 3D Simulation for Driving Leaner, Smarter, Connected Production and Reducing Costs
- Why manufacturing must evolve
- Common pain points in manufacturing
- Introduction to Visual Components 3D simulation software
- Simulation and robot offline programming: planning, analysing and optimizing
- Digital Twin: calibration and connection of virtual and real world
- Customer Case: how simulating the production resulted in 20% cost savings
10:35 - 11:25
COFFEE BREAK
11:30 – 12:00
Beyond Safety - How Digitalization can Strengthens Safety in Production
- AI-Supported Risk Assessment – Automating hazard identification and compliance verification through intelligent algorithms
- Augmented Reality for machinery safety and Safety Training – Using AR or mobile devices to guide operators and ensure compliance
- Smart Software Solutions for Lockout/Tagout – Digital tools that document and enforce machine shutdown procedures
- Predictive Safety Analytics – Using AI and machine learning to forecast failures and prevent accidents before they happen
- Connectivity Between Safety and Productivity – How digital systems also enhance efficiency and uptime
12:00 – 12:30
From Data Foundations to Autonomous Production in Tech-Driven Manufacturing
According to SoftServe’s survey of 750 business leaders, strong data led 44% to open new revenue streams. Yet 58% saw decisions made based on inaccurate or inconsistent data most, if not all of the time. This session explores the critical role of data in driving success and provides actionable insights for manufacturers:
- Real-world examples of projects that failed due to insufficient data.
- A success story showcasing the impact of strong data foundations.
- An overview of the Advanced Manufacturing Framework and IIoT Platform Connected Factory.
- AI-driven case studies, including CV, energy simulation, and MPC.
- Critical questions manufacturers must ask to assess their data readiness.
12:30 – 13:00
Predicting Production Performance through Data-Driven Robustness Modeling
- Talk to the hand – useful employment of LLM technology beyond chatbots
- No free lunch – clean, well-organized data still key to good results
- The AI rat race – how to avoid PoC purgatory
- Selected use cases
PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS
- Continuous Improvement / OPEX
- Industry 4.0
- Lean Methodologies
- Sustainability & ESG Software
- 3D Printing for Digital Manufacturing
- Project & Resource Management
- Additive Manufacturing / Factory-as-a-Service
- Connected Factory
- Industry 5.0 Concepts
- Net Zero
- Cybersecurity
- Robotic Automation
- Digital/Software Adoption
- MES / Shop-floor Digitization
- Machine Learning
- Digital Twin
- M2M Communication
- Remote Working
- Plant / Workforce Safety
- Wireless Connectivity
- Cloud, Edge & IoT Data Management
- Asset Performance Management (APM 4.0)
- Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Technologies
- Predictive Analytics / Condition Monitoring
- Green Manufacturing Practices & Initiatives
- Cloud Computing & Sensors
- Asset Management
- Data Analytics / Big Data / Data Management
13:05 - 13:55
LUNCH
14:00 – 14:30
Increasing Value at No/Low Cost in Manufacturing
- Introduction to Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE)
- Data Analysis (SF)- Creating our Strategy
- Work Process Improvements (WPI)
- WPI Implementation & Outcome example
14:30 - 15:00
Integrating Smart Manufacturing & Industry 4.0
- Challenges companies encounter
- Industry Outlook for Smart Manufacturing & Industry 4.0
- Key Innovations shaping Smart Manufacturing