POSITIONING MANUFACTURERS FOR THE ECONOMIC UPTURN

With an economic recovery in sight, Europe’s business elite needs not only to maintain competitiveness, but to crucially position itself to take full advantage of the impending upturn. Düsseldorf, Germany, will therefore play host to Europe’s foremost gathering of senior-level manufacturing and production executives to address how the manufacturing industry is preparing itself to meet the unique requirements of an economic revival.

Over one hundred and fifty of the world’s leading enterprises, including Carlsberg, Procter & Gamble, Honeywell and Volkswagen, will be meeting in Düsseldorf to outline a definitive business strategy and detail key priorities for gradual growth over the next twelve months. Contributing to the debate will be a selection of world-renowned solution providers, including lead sponsors Rockwell Automation, Atos Origin, Solving Efeso, Lean Horizons and Cognizant, all of whom will be providing thought leadership and analysis in an interactive, face-to-face format.

This year’s European Manufacturing Strategies summit (EMS 2009), will comprise keynote addresses, industry-led power panel discussions and interactive workshops from thought-leading solution providers. It will also feature a dynamic one-to-one meetings model that will enable delegates to highlight a business strategy moving forward by either meeting with fellow delegates in a private networking environment or by taking pre-arranged meetings with leading vendors.

Running this event for the last five years, we have witnessed the increasingly strategic role of manufacturing within the enterprise. But now more than ever, with a challenging climate over the past 12-18 months, businesses are contending with exacerbated cost pressures and visibility challenges, along with the added pressure to reduce inventory levels. With this in mind, the EMS 2009 programme this year truly reflects the challenges and concerns for the manufacturing and wider business community, beginning with a specially designed Manufacturing Strategy Session on the afternoon of the 12th October. Attendees will learn how General Electric has driven global performance through manufacturing in Bahrain, while Kevin Duggan, President and Founder of the Institute for Operational Excellence, will reveal how to take your business beyond lean and six sigma to deliver business growth.

We are delighted to work with the Triumph International at this summit and feature a special keynote address from Thorsten Allenstein, Managing Director for the India and Sri Lanka region. Thorsten will reveal how, by locating to India, Triumph International has driven growth and enhanced its customer base. He will highlight that such a move is a long-term strategy, emphasising the importance of adapting and embracing a different culture to maximise profitability.

Over the past eighteen months we have witnessed businesses talk of a necessary retreat on globalisation; bringing supply chains closer to home to localise the network and reduce costs. However, Volkswagen AG would argue otherwise. Having recently opened a new facility in India this year, and with plans continuing apace for expansion in China, Dr. Christof Spathelf, Head of Manufacturing Overseas, will provide a keynote presentation highlighting Volkswagen AG’s commitment to globalisation to maximise production capacity, deliver growth and, ultimately, ensure competitive advantage after the recession.

Complimentary to the conference programme, every attendee will have a personalised itinerary created in advance, enabling them to maximise their time at the summit, selecting the sessions relevant to their business and choosing to meet with fellow VPs and Heads of Manufacturing, Production and Operations to share knowledge and experience.

Strategic Manufacturing Awards

Taking place in conjunction with EMS 2009, the evening of the 13th October will play host to the 2009 Strategic Manufacturing Awards. Working with a judging panel including Pierfrancesco Manenti of Manufacturing Insights IDC and Henk Eertink, formerly of Unilever and renowned lean and TPM expert, the ceremony will reward and celebrate excellence across a variety of key disciplines in manufacturing:

· Innovation

· Operational Excellence

· Manufacturing IT

· Demand-Driven Manufacturer of the Year

· Green Manufacturing

All end-user delegates at EMS 2009 receive a complimentary guest pass to the awards ceremony, enjoying a 4-course meal, networking opportunities and, of course, the chance to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the industry during a challenging period.

We are therefore very excited about this event and look forward to bringing everyone together in October for a hard-working and rewarding two-and-a-half days.
ABOUT EUROPEAN MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES 2009

Europe’s leading strategic event for process and discrete manufacturers
Now in its 5th year, 150 end user delegates are expected to attend with sponsorship from organisations including Rockwell Automation, IBM and Atos Origin
Taking place over three days from 12th – 14th October at the Swissôtel Düsseldorf, Germany 

Event web site: www.ems-summit.com