PWE October 2021

News 0 6 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk October 2021 The wide range of topical panel discussions of the popular Talking Industry webinar events will move temporarily from the digital sphere to live panel discussions at the NEC under the Talking Industry Live brand for three days during the forthcoming co-located shows; Smart Industry Expo, Plant & Asset Management, Drives & Controls, Fluid Power & Systems, and Air-Tech Exhibitions – which all return to Birmingham’s NEC between the 5-7th April 2022, alongside MACH. Talking Industry Live, as a CPD member, will include accredited seminars that will fully reflect the ongoing global transformation to the smart manufacturing era and provide fascinating panel discussions and insight into the potential plants of the future, covering all aspect of the digital transformation across the manufacturing spectrum, as well as looking at how digitalisation has helped during the Coronavirus pandemic and its importance in any future outbreak. Leading experts will address the vast array of information around 4IR, discussing the practicalities, technologies and issues surrounding transition and implementation of digitalisation in UK manufacturing. In addition, as part of the MTC’s significant presence at the co-location of events in April 2022, The Manufacturing organisation will lead the discussion on the changing manufacturing landscape, including the challenges and opportunities that will help provide practical steps, which manufacturers can take on the journey to embrace digitalisation in the post COVID-19 era. Other Talking Industry Live panel discussions will focus on how the growth of robotics will generate better ROI and productivity, health & safety, and skills, plus much more. While The Knowledge Hub will have a strong emphasis on technology that will bring together all aspects of plant and asset management, hydraulics, pneumatics, robotics and automation, energy efficiency, machine safety, drives, motion control, legislation, system strategies and technological developments. Featuring representatives from across industry including government agencies, research bodies, trade associations, and manufacturers. The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) for example will be discussing practical ways its members can help inspect, maintain, and manage the machinery and equipment which keeps manufacturers functioning. While, Nikesh Mistry, sector head – Industrial Automation, GAMBICA, will be exploring why demand for automation technology is set to grow throughout the coming year, and how to retain a competitive advantage in the face of these new demands as well as overall automation trends in the UK. Other seminars and case studies will include presentations from the CSA Catapult, Nottingham University, Made Smarter, UKRI, BFPA, BCAS, Pilz, Primary Engineer, plus many others that will be updated on the show websites in the very near future. Over the course of the three-day co-located events, both Talking Industry Live and The Knowledge Hub seminar programmes, will offer visitors the opportunity to learn how they can seize the opportunities that exist and promote the benefits of adopting emerging digital technologies as well as a range of technical and practical case studies and seminars covering the wide range of topics areas of the co-location of events. The variety and scope of both the Talking Industry Live and Knowledge Hub programmes for 2022 are extremely exciting, adding real value and will give visitors a genuine opportunity to keep abreast of the latest industry developments. For further updates and to view the full programme as well as comprehensive information as to how we will be keeping exhibitors and visitors safe during the course of the event please visit: www.maintenanceuk-expo.com Talking Industry Live to partner with co-location of events at NEC Defence sector innovation to play key role in maximising success of UK economy Channelling the innovation of the defence sector across UK manufacturing, would help maximise the benefits and future technological opportunities for the rest of the economy, according to a major report published recently. The report Defence: Opportunity, resilience and prosperity produced by Make UK Defence in partnership with Raytheon UK highlights the dynamic contribution the sector makes to the economy, accounting for £12billion GVA and employing, directly or indirectly through supply chains, over 200,000 highly skilled employees. The sector is also heavily concentrated in areas which will be critical to the levelling-up agenda, as well as the wider Government agenda of increasing exports, creating good jobs and transitioning to net zero. Furthermore, as well as the technological innovations in the sector and the opportunities which will come through adoption of digital technologies, the report highlights the socially responsible approach companies are taking to invest in people and clean, digital cutting-edge technologies. However, significant barriers to expansion remain, especially for SMEs looking to win procurement contracts and enter overseas markets. In response, Make UK is urging Government to work with the sector to remove these and has made a number of recommendations to help provide firms with the confidence to invest in developing new