Key industry figures from across the country have been confirmed as speakers for the upcoming Northern Ireland Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition, taking place at the Eikon Exhibition Centre this Thursday (Sept 11).
The one-day event, in partnership with Queen's University Belfast and The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), will bring together businesses from the engineering, production and supply chain sectors for focused discussions on productivity, digital transformation, skills and innovation.
Four stages at the event will host over 60 sessions with topics including robotics and automation, IoT, sustainability, climate tech and procurement to finance and funding, 3D printing and more.
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Over 100 speakers are set to take to four stages. One stage will focus on Robotics and Automation, IoT, Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation. It will feature industry thought leaders such as Sam Turner (CEO) and Colm Higgins (CTO) of AMIC, Ian Gardner (account technical leader at IBM) and Beata Dagiel (head of business development at Software Interactive). Moderator Tina Calder from Excalibur Press will also host a Scaling Digital Transformation in NI discussion with Graeme Ralph (head of digital factory at AMIC), Nick Rowe (commercial director at Irish Manufacturing Research) and Martin Naughton (MD at Galvia Digital).
Ian Gardner said events like the NI Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition give industry professionals the opportunity to learn from each other: “The world is changing at a pace and conferences like this offer an incredible opportunity for people with common interests, experience and expertise to get together and share thoughts, opportunities, ideas and make amazing connections.”
Fellow speaker Beata Dagiel of Software Interactive echoed his sentiment: “By sharing projects we have completed for our clients we hope to inspire and encourage professionals to start thinking outside of the box and dive deeper into the world of AI with confidence.”
Alongside digital transformation, sustainability is another key theme at the conference.
On the Sustainability, Renewable Energy and Climate Tech stage speakers such as Kara Bailie (deputy director for Belfast Region City Deal), Ben Craig (head of partnerships at Carbonfit), Gillian McKee (sustainability and ESG consultant at Giraffe Associates), Chris Martin (head of sustainability at Danske Bank UK) and Gareth Martin (director audit and insurance at Deloitte) will discuss a range of topics from green manufacturing and how organisations evolve in their sustainability journey to manufacturing with purpose.
Tender and BID consultant Brendan Cunningham of B2C Tenders will also be joining president of Lisburn Chamber Ruth Young and Tina Calder (Excalibur Press) to discuss the importance of sustainability in your tendering and procurement processes.
While sustainability is a critical focus, discussions will also turn to efficiency and resilience within supply chains.
On the Lean Productivity, Supply Chain and Logistics stage, industry thought leaders such as John McLune (director of skills and competitiveness Invest NI), Barry Taylor (managing director of Manufacturing & Engineering Growth & Advancement), Nigel Irvine (owner of Specialist Expert Solutions Ltd) and Dr Hangfei Guo (associate professor in Supply Chain Management at Queen’s University Belfast) will discuss adopting lean productivity, growing exports, managing sales performance and rethinking supply chains in uncertain times.
This stage will also host a panel discussion on resilient supply chains, moderated by Lee Bristow (director of AI & Cyber Governance and Compliance, Saros Consulting) and will feature panelists such as Richard Jackson( COO, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC)), Caroline Sweeney (trade manager, InterTradeIreland), Bronagh Millar, (characterisation manager, Polymer Processing Research Centre, Queen's University Belfast), and Rob Picken (SVP digital Transformation and Partnerships, Sourceability).
Innovation in manufacturing processes will also take centre stage, with dedicated sessions on 3D printing. This area of the programme will spotlight how cutting-edge technologies are reshaping production, with speakers such as Dr Adrian Boyd (Senior Lecturer at Ulster University) and Cathal Finch (Area Sales Manager at Tyrolit Abrasives).
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Later in the day, attention will shift from technology to people, with the same stage hosting discussions on the future of work and business support. Industry leaders, including Don Leeson (non-executive director of Translink), Dr Jonathan Acheson (Ulster University), Michael McKenna (Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council), Mark Johnston (Johnston Financial Solutions), Alan Lowry (Chair of FSB) and Patrick McGirr (AICC) will share their insights in panel discussions.
Alongside headline sponsors, in partnership with Queen's University Belfast and The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), the NI Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition is also supported by Inspire 3D, Henry R Ayton, Engenuity Cluster, FAST Technologies, Irish Manufacturing Research CLG, SA Partners, Inspire 3D and Target Integration.
Registration is free and further information and tickets are available at northernirelandmanufacturing.co.uk
Sync NI's Summer 2025 magazine celebrates women in tech across Ireland as we continue to encourage more women to enter the thriving sector and address the current gender imbalance. Read the Summer 2025 Sync NI Magazine online for free here.
