Keynote Speakers and Networking Breakfast

Get your daily dose of inspiration and connection by attending our Keynotes and Networking Breakfast. Our daily keynotes will discuss trends and challenges affecting everyone in the manufacturing industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from industry experts and network with your peers over coffee.

Keynote Networking Breakfast

Date: Tuesday, April 12th
Time: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Location: Level 3 Ballroom

Start your experience at IME West with your daily dose of inspiration and connection by attending our Keynote and Networking Breakfast located in the Third Level Ballroom. Kicking off at 8:00 am, attendees, exhibitors and speakers can meet over coffee and breakfast bites before our Keynote Speaker shares their latest insights on trending challenges in the industry.

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Keynotes

Using Technology to Fill Manufacturing Workforce Gaps

Date: Tuesday, April 12th
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Level 3 Ballroom

Jay

Douglass

COO, ARM

As evidenced by the pandemic, manufacturing is critical to the economy of the United States and the well-being of its citizens. But U.S manufacturers are struggling to fill hundreds of thousands of open positions, some of which are working directly with robots. The ARM Institute, a 330+ member non-profit consortium that catalyzes innovations in robotic technology and workforce development to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, has been working to advance the state of robotics to meet this workforce gap and provide educational opportunities to train or upskill factory employees. With investments in over 100 projects to date, ARM Institute COO Jay Douglass will share highlights of the impact of these projects, and how manufacturers are using technology and innovative training programs to meet today’s challenges.

Keynote Panel: Can Manufacturers Rebuild the Broken Global Supply Chain?

Date: Wednesday, April 13th
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Level 3 Ballroom

Berardino

Baratta

Vice President, Projects & Engineering, MxD

Conrad

Leiva

VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Development, CESMII, Chair of
the Smart Manufacturing
Working Group,
MESA International

Kimberly

Gibson

Ecosystem Director,
America Makes

Jeff

Brown

VP of Operations, Sonendo

The severe supply chain shocks have created material scarcity and increased lead time pressures for downstream suppliers. Raw material providers in plastics and metals, microchips, and electronics are at a particular disadvantage. These supply chain challenges have renewed calls for the global manufacturing sector to rebuild and reshore capacity, invest in new technologies, and confront an existential labor shortage. Join a panel of industry leading voices in manufacturing who will discuss how they are approaching supply chain challenges, and how their organizations view their role in the global manufacturing economy. They’ll also talk about initiatives taken by leading companies, NGOs, and governments around the world—and what it means for your company.

Topics include:

Approaches to global risk management and resiliency with a focus on governmental policies and their impact on internal financial and manufacturing quality controls
How data and automation technologies such as AI/ML, predictive maintenance, robotics, virtualization, and generative design can provide solutions
Balancing talent, technology, and culture for a winning team and a profitable process
The nuances of reshoring and nearshoring your assets and potential impacts to your bottom line