Industry & Business

The largest ever gathering of the manufacturing community in Ireland took place at the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition, which was held at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin on Tuesday, January 31st, as approximately 2,500 people from all over the country attended this annual event.

Visitor numbers exceeded the previous year’s record breaking conference and exhibition. Indeed, the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition is now firmly established as an All-Ireland ‘must-attend’ annual event, which successfully connects key stakeholders across the full spectrum of Irish manufacturing, including the food, pharmaceutical, medical, chemical, life sciences and electronics manufacturing sectors. Indeed, the Citywest Hotel complex with its easy access and free car parking is strategically placed to host All-Ireland events of this kind.

Visitors were provided with a conference and exhibition that covered all aspects of the manufacturing and supply chain in Ireland, and which, with its comprehensive programme of free workshops and key note speakers combined with 200 exhibitors displaying the latest technological solutions available, offered something of interest and value for everyone in attendance.

National Forum

The National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition was conceived by the organisers – Premier Publishing & Events – to provide a forum for manufacturers and operators involved throughout the supply chain from across Ireland – North and South – to gather to discuss pressing issues facing Irish industry.

Visitors interested in improving the performance of their business were able to listen to case studies and technical presentations from leading global and Irish manufacturers and manufacturing experts, and to meet with providers of cutting edge technology.

The full day agenda featured over 150 speakers and encompassed keynote addresses from the largest and most innovative manufacturers on the Main Stage along with 16 smaller conferences on various topics including: lean, supply chain & logistics, labelling & packaging, R&D, serialisation, sustainability, 3D printing, nanotechnology, Materials Science, Industry 4.0 & The Internet of Things, product design, instrumentation, automation and control, scaling a manufacturing business domestically, building an export-orientated manufacturing company, machine vision & sensors, traceability, data/IT, health & safety, and cyber security.

The speakers at the Conference were carefully selected from senior management within Irish industry and academia, who have a successful track record of delivering quantifiable results in sustainable manufacturing and throughout the supply chain.

Bigger and More Comprehensive

The 2017 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition was co-located with two other events – the National Sustainability Summit and the Lean, Productivity and Continuous Improvement Summit – in order to draw upon the obvious synergies between the three.

The 2017 National Sustainability Summit featured speakers drawn from senior management from the largest and most influential Irish and international companies who have achieved consistent eco results. Speakers from a broad industrial spectrum, such as pharmaceutical, food, aviation, retail, hospitality, food, construction, manufacturing, IT, energy, and the logistics and supply chain sectors, presented compelling case studies on how to develop a sustainable business.

Topics covered at the 2017 National Sustainability Summit included water management, energy efficiency, sustainable energy, recycling, waste reduction, sustainable construction & buildings, sustainable food, sustainable manufacturing, sustainable technology, consumer engagement, sustainable packaging, sustainable logistics and supply chain, regulations, tax and legal issues.

The inaugural Lean, Productivity and Continuous Improvement Summit had a singular focus – to bring together senior management from sectors such as manufacturing, food, IT, retail, hospitality and tourism, utilities and energy, banking and finance, aviation, healthcare etc that have an interest in improving their business performance, productivity and cost performance.

The aim was to facilitate knowledge sharing, networking and to demonstrate lean, productivity and continuous improvement trends, technology and innovations. The speakers were selected from senior management from leading Irish and multinational companies that are leading the way in making their business more efficient and productive. Topics discussed during the event ranged from business transformation, waste reduction, lean sigma, continuous improvement and production optimization to process efficiency, quality management, cost reduction, OEE, ERP, business intelligence and inventory optimization.

Jobs Expo Zone

The National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition 2017 also incorporated the Jobs Expo area, dedicated to highlighting the many employment opportunities currently available throughout the Irish manufacturing and supply chain sectors. The purpose-designed jobs, employment and recruitment section was a new addition to the 2016 event and proved to be so successful that it was retained this year. With many businesses currently experiencing skills shortages, the Jobs Expo zone served as an interface between suitably qualified job seekers and representatives from both national and international companies with vacancies.

Networking Opportunity

The National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition 2017 and its associated co-located events served as an ideal forum for meeting Government agencies and supporting associations, and gaining free advice from experts. It also provided networking zones to connect buyers and suppliers. Indeed, the layout in the Citywest Hotel complex was specially designed to maximise the opportunity for delegates to network and make new contacts.