Experts from the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) and accountancy firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson will provide an outlook for 2022, discussing the most pressing issues for manufacturers including supply chains, skills development, digital adoption, and energy consumption and generation at the Smart Manufacturing Alliance’s first virtual event of 2022 on 25 January.

Following on from Brexit and the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, the online event will help manufacturers prepare their business for the year ahead using expert insight on market trends, forecasts, and developments within industry. 

The expert speaker line-up includes:

• Professor Tim Minshall – Institute of Manufacturing – Tim is the inaugural Dr John C Taylor Professor of Innovation at the University of Cambridge, Head of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) and Head of the IfM’s Centre for Technology Management (CTM) and a Fellow of Churchill College. His research, teaching and engagement activities are focused on the links between manufacturing and innovation.
• Guy Hodgkinson – MHA MacIntyre Hudson – Guy is an audit and assurance specialist, advising a variety of corporate clients operating in the UK and internationally. He is actively involved in the MHA Manufacturing & Engineering and Renewable Energy Sector and is a member of the CBI East of England council. Guy has the knowledge and expertise to highlight market trends and operational best practices, adding real value to his clients and ensuring onsite teams have the knowledge to deliver a comprehensive and efficient service.

The event is open to any organisation and forms part of the Smart Manufacturing Alliance’s events calendar. The Alliance offers a variety of services to manufacturers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ranging from operational diagnostics, action plans to address performance gaps, through to support to access grants and finance and facilitating pilot projects through connections with academic and research institutions. Membership to the Alliance also gives manufacturers affiliate membership to MAKE UK.

“We’re really pleased to be putting our region’s manufacturers in front of such high calibre industry experts who can help them prepare for the year ahead,” said Bob Hart, Programme Director at the Smart Manufacturing Alliance.

“The last two years have brought unprecedented changes – we’ve seen impact from Brexit and COVID-19, but there’s also been constant innovation with new technologies flooding markets which can open up whole new realms of possibility for improving performance and enhancing new product development. 

“We know our area’s manufacturers are resilient, and this event will ensure they can optimise their plans for 2022 and beyond.”

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