News 10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk April/May 2023 ABB has launched its new film series: Unstoppable. This series aims to promote diversity and profile three remarkable female leaders in the mining, pulp and paper, and metals industries. Unstoppable highlights the inspiring stories of three women who have broken down barriers and made significant contributions to their respective industries. Through this series, ABB aims to raise awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion; and encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM fields. The first film in the series features Marjorie Boles, Chief Information Officer at Sappi, a visionary in the pulp and paper industry who has transformed her company with her passion for digitalisation. The second film profiles Tove Thelin Täckdal, Concentrating Plant Manager at Copperstone Resources, a trailblazer in the mining industry who has dedicated her career to promoting sustainability and innovation in the sector. The final film highlights Chithra Sharma, Chief Commercial, Engineering and Projects for Capital Procurement at Tata Steel, a pioneering leader in the metals industry who has pushed boundaries and challenged the status quo to drive growth and competitiveness. By shining a spotlight on strong female role models in industries where the greatest disparities exist, ABB aims to influence others to come forward and play a part in Unstoppable. The directors of the series hope to make a positive difference and bridge known gender gaps. According to the World Economic Forum, women make up only 22 percent of the global mining and metals workforce, underscoring the urgency to foster diversity and inclusion in this and many other traditionally male-dominated sectors. “We’re not doing well enough to ensure diversity in our industries and know there are many dynamic career paths open to women,” said Joanne Woo, Global Head of Communications, Process Industries, ABB. “This is why we’re proud to launch the Unstoppable film series, which showcases the incredible achievements of women in industry.” “The adage holds true: if you can see it, you can be it. Raising the visibility of women in industry is vital in breaking down gender stereotypes and showcasing role models. Through our series we aim to ignite a spark that will encourage others to join the movement towards a more diverse and inclusive workplace.” “At ABB, we believe that diversity is a key driver of innovation and progress, and we are committed to promoting equal opportunities for all,” said Joachim Braun, President of Process Industries, ABB. “Our target is to double the representation of women in senior management positions at ABB by 2030.” “Leadership must take responsibility for driving change in diversity and inclusion. It is not only a moral imperative but a business necessity. Leaders must actively work to hire, advance and support women in the workplace, and create a culture that empowers them to succeed.” “I am honoured to be part of the Unstoppable film series and to share my story. It is my hope that through this series, we can inspire and empower more women to pursue careers in the mining industry and drive sustainable innovation. I believe that diversity is key to unlocking the potential of any industry, and I am proud to be part of a company that values and promotes inclusion,” said Tove Thelin Täckdal, Concentrating Plant Manager at Copperstone Resources. For more information on the Unstoppable film series, visit: https://campaign.abb.com/unstoppable. Film series to underline the lives of women in industry and advocate for diversity The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is hosting a free two-day conference – Robotics and Automation – A New Perspective 2023 on 10-11 May which will explore the future of automation in UK industry and demonstrate the opportunities available to UK industry. The adoption of robotics and automation in UK manufacturing result in higher productivity, efficiency and quality as well as more sustainable operations, according to experts at the Manufacturing Technology Centre. Delegates from a wide range of industries from construction to agriculture and food production will get the chance to share insights into the transformational benefits of cutting edge robotic technologies and learn how automation can improve productivity and drive global competitiveness for UK businesses. Topics to be covered by the conference include examining barriers to adoption and how to meet the challenges presented by automation. Other sessions will look at the solutions that automation presents to meet industry’s sustainability goals, and the opportunities for robotics in education and skills development. The conference will also look at recent advances in collaborative and mobile robotics, computer vision, artificial intelligence and sensing, together with the decreasing costs of robotics and automation hardware which can create new opportunities for the deployment of novel applications. The event, which builds on a successful conference in 2022, will build on the recommendations of a report by MTC robotics experts and the Industrial Policy Research Centre at Loughborough University. The report called for more knowledge-sharing across the robotics community, the need for support for developers and early stage adopters, an emphasis on skills, as well as a greater understanding among the investor and finance community of the business benefits of automation. Mike Wilson, chief automation officer at the MTC and author of the report, said: “This isn’t just a typical manufacturing conference. It’s an opportunity to meet, discuss and address the challenges with the adoption of automation and robotics. Delegates can listen to inspiring talks by industry experts, join educational workshops, discover innovative technologies or simply network with likeminded individuals. “The event aims to instil confidence in our companies to transform their future. It will enable SMEs and supply chain companies to explore ground-breaking and innovative industrial robotic solutions so they can understand how their manufacturing operations would benefit. The conference will bring together high-level speakers from industry, government and academia to emphasise the transformational benefits of automation, as well as the skills and system integration solutions needed to enable adoption. The MTC is offering sponsorship packages to industrial manufacturers, robotics manufacturers and system integrators who want to showcase their products and services to a high-powered audience of manufacturing leaders and decision makers. Details of sponsorship packages are available from: automation@the-mtc.org. MTC to showcase automation and robotics capabilities
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