Skip to content

Agenda: Technology for Low Carbon, Agile Manufacturing

Digital Agility, Carbon Neutrality

09:30 – 09:35

Welcome

Opening remarks from our event Chair
Sustainable Industry Live logo_Primary_Horizontal
Sustainable Industry Live logo_Primary_Horizontal
09:35 – 09:55

KEYNOTE: How digital tools can simultaneously boost responsiveness and cut carbon

How can digital technologies simultaneously enhance operational agility and reduce carbon emissions?What real-world examples demonstrate the impact of connected systems on factory responsiveness? Which metrics best measure both agility improvements and sustainability gains?
09:55 – 10:15

KEYNOTE: Making legacy sites data-ready in six weeks

How can legacy sites become data-ready within six weeks? What practical steps ensure reliable, real-time data collection from legacy equipment?Which quick wins deliver measurable insights with minimal disruption?
10:15 – 10:25

Roundtables explainers

Each hosts gives a 30 second overview of their proposed conversation, so you can choose your best fit!
10:25 - 10:55

Discussion Round Tables Session 1

Choose the topics that answer your challenges.
10:55 - 11:25

Discussion Round Tables Session 2

Choose the topics that answer your challenges.

Discussion Tables

(Please click + to read the full description)

Round Table 1 - Integrating PLCs with Industrial IoT

Discussion points:

  • How can you retrofit existing PLCs to feed real-time data into an IoT platform?

  • What are the best practices for selecting sensors and edge gateways that work with legacy control systems?

  • Which connectivity protocols balance reliability and security on the factory floor?


 

 
Round Table 2 - Edge Computing on a Shoestring

Discussion points:

  • What low-cost hardware options exist for adding edge compute capabilities in brownfield sites?

  • How do you architect edge deployments to ensure rapid fail-over and minimal disruption?

  • Which simple workloads (e.g. data filtering, basic analytics) yield the greatest ROI at the edge?


 

Round Table 3 - Predictive Maintenance in Practice

Discussion points:

  • What key failure modes should you prioritise when building your first predictive maintenance model?

  • How do you validate and tune ML algorithms using limited historical data from legacy machines?

  • Which maintenance workflows change most with a shift from reactive to predictive approaches?


 

 
Round Table 4 - AI-Driven Quality Control
Discussion points:

  • How can computer-vision techniques be applied to inspect products on legacy production lines?

  • What steps ensure AI inspection models generalise across varied part geometries and lighting conditions?

  • How do you integrate automated quality feedback into existing operator dashboards and processes?

Round Table 5 - Optimising Energy Peaks with AI
Discussion points:

  • Which data inputs (e.g. power, temperature, production schedules) are essential for peak-shaving algorithms?

  • How can demand-response strategies be automated to minimise costs without impacting throughput?

  • What governance is required to balance AI-driven load-shifting with operational constraints?

 

 
Round Table 6 - Rapid Sensor Retrofitting Strategies

Discussion points: 

  • How do you identify the minimal set of sensors needed to unlock high-value insights?

  • What installation techniques avoid production downtime when fitting new hardware?

  • Which calibration and commissioning practices ensure data accuracy from day one?


 

 
Round Table 7 -Stress-Testing Demand Forecasts

Discussion points:

  • What scenario-planning methods help you evaluate forecast robustness under extreme market shifts?

  • How can you combine internal production data with external indicators (e.g. commodity prices) to refine models?

  • Which lead-time buffers deliver resilience without excessive inventory costs?


 

Round Table 8 - Digital Twin for Logistics

Discussion points:

  • What are the critical data feeds required to create a minimal viable digital twin of your supply network?

  • How can simulation outputs inform real-time decision-making in warehousing and transportation?

  • Which metrics best demonstrate the ROI of a logistics digital twin pilot?

 

 
Round Table 9 - Reverse Logistics in Practice

Discussion points:

  • How do you design reverse-flow processes that integrate seamlessly with forward production schedules?

  • What IT or manual systems best track returned goods for inspection, repair, or recycling?

  • Which cost-and-carbon metrics help justify investment in circular logistics programmes?

 
Round Table 10 - Nearshoring with Low-Carbon Hubs

Discussion points:

  • How do you evaluate potential nearshore sites based on energy mix, infrastructure and labour skills?

  • What partnership models (e.g. co-investment, public incentives) can reduce capex for green facility upgrades?

  • Which logistic strategies ensure agility while maintaining minimal carbon footprint in supply networks?

Round Table 11 - Securing OT–IT Convergence

Discussion points:

  • What practical steps can you take to segment networks and protect legacy OT systems when connecting them to corporate IT?

  • How do you implement lightweight encryption and authentication on resource-constrained devices?

  • Which incident-response processes ensure rapid containment without halting production?

 

Round Table 12 - Lean Data Architectures for AI

 

Discussion points:

  • How can you design a minimal data-pipeline that collects, cleans and stores only the most valuable machine data?

  • Which data-governance practices maintain quality and consistency across legacy and new sources?

  • What tools or methods enable rapid onboarding of additional data streams as projects scale?


 

Round Table 13 - Human–Machine Collaboration

Discussion points:

  • How do you redesign workflows to allow operators and automated systems to work side by side safely?

  • What training approaches encourage staff to embrace AI-driven recommendations in real time?

  • Which KPIs best capture productivity gains from collaborative robotics and decision-support tools?

 

Round Table 14 -Carbon Accounting for Shop-Floor Activities

Discussion points:

  • What methodologies help you attribute energy use and emissions to specific machines or process steps?

  • How can simple metering upgrades feed into a carbon-accounting framework without complex ERP changes?

  • Which reporting formats satisfy internal stakeholders and regulatory requirements with minimal overhead?

Round Table 15 -Scaling Pilots into Plant-Wide Programmes

Discussion points:

  • What governance structures balance agility and oversight when moving from a proof-of-concept to full rollout?

  • How do you secure cross-functional buy-in and budget for expanded integration projects?

  • Which success metrics and milestones demonstrate sufficient ROI to warrant scaling?


 

11:25 - 11:55

Break

11:55 - 12:15

KEYNOTE: Agile Supply Chains via Predictive AI. Case study: Cutting lead-time variability by 40 %

How can AI-driven forecasting reduce lead-time variability in manufacturing supply chains? What data inputs are critical for accurate predictive supply-chain models? Which strategies ensure seamless integration of AI tools into existing logistics processes?
12:15 - 12:45

Discussion Round Tables Session 3

Choose the topics that answer your challenges.
12:45 – 13:45

Lunch

Choose the topics that answer your challenges.
13:45 - 14:05

Panel: Balancing Speed & Sustainability. Leaders debate how to accelerate production while hitting net-zero targets.

14:05 - 14:35

Discussion Round Tables Session 4

14:35 - 14:55

Keynote: Securing the Smart, Green Factory. Building cyber-resilience as you digitise

What cybersecurity measures are essential when connecting legacy and IoT devices? How can manufacturers balance security imperatives with ongoing digital transformation? Which frameworks best support resilience in a digitised, low-carbon manufacturing environment?
14:55 - 15:25

Break

15:25 - 15:45

Panel: Roadmap to 2026 - Skills, strategy & technology integration

15:45 - 16:05

Panel: Bridging the digital, decarbonisation divide

16:05 - 16:30

Open Q&A - Synthesis of the day’s key takeaways and next step actions.

16:30

That's a wrap - Time to take action!