Digital Manufacturing week returns to Liverpool in virtual form

Date posted:
Mon 09 November 2020

Digital Manufacturing Week returns this week from 9th – 13th November.

Usually held at Exhibition Centre Liverpool, the now-online global event will still see Liverpool remain as ‘host’ city, as visuals of Liverpool’s waterfront provide the background on the virtual platform.

The five-day event is Europe’s biggest festival for digital manufacturing. It brings together key players from across the industry who are redefining manufacturing on a global scale with Cisco, Microsoft, Unilever, HP and CNC Robotics just a few of the companies involved.

The schedule is packed with topical themes, and Liverpool City Region speakers feature on the Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit Panel; Creating Effective Support Mechanisms for SMEs and in the AI and Machine Learning Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit Discussion Room.

Manufacturing has always been at the heart of the Liverpool City Region’s economy. From our world-leading work in chemicals, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals to one of Europe’s leading automotive clusters, we are leading the way on the fourth industrial revolution. Once again the City Region has taken an exhibition stand at the Smart Factory Expo, one of the key events of the week, where local representatives will showcase the strength of the region’s manufacturing credentials.

The virtual element of this year’s event has seen an increase in the number of international organisations registered to attend from across 54 countries. These delegates mean there will be a spotlight on the assets, capabilities and expertise that exists within the manufacturing sector in the City Region.

In addition to the Digital Manufacturing Week activity, Invest Liverpool will be hosting a manufacturing-led webinar in conjunction with the Department for Trade and Industry and speakers from Unilever, IoT Horizons, Needlesmart and CPI. This too will have an international audience.

Simon Reid, Head of Advanced Manufacturing at Growth Platform said, “We are delighted to welcome back Digital Manufacturing Week to the Liverpool City Region, albeit virtually this year, for the fourth time. The continued success of this event and its close ties to the City Region is testament to the exciting LCR 4.0 ecosystem we have built here, which has now been joined by MTC Liverpool and the £15m Digital Manufacturing Accelerator.

“This year’s event has given us the opportunity to showcase the emerging opportunities in the Circular Economy, in particular in smart and sustainable packaging, as well as our world class capability in infectious diseases, vaccine manufacturing and MedTech. Industrial digitisation has a huge role to play in them all and I would encourage companies and individuals to attend and find out more about these exciting opportunities in the Liverpool City Region.”

Nick Hussey, CEO of Hennik Research which runs Digital Manufacturing Week, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the event and very grateful for the support that our partners in Liverpool have shown us. There is nothing quite like being at Exhibition Centre Liverpool on the waterfront and enjoying the amazing hospitality of the city and its people. Although the whole event is now online, its heart is in Liverpool and the images and backdrop add to the feeling that wherever you are in the world, you are at least visiting Liverpool virtually."