Recognized as one of the Top 50 most influential thought leaders in Industry 4.0 (Coming in at rank #1) as part of Onalytica's "Who's who in Industry 4.0 in 2023" report, Jeff Winter possesses a unique ability to bridge the gap between business strategy, industry trends, technology implementation, and change management.

As the Industry strategy leader for manufacturing for Hitachi Solutions, and Smart Manufacturing Advisor at CESMII, Jeff is known to help drive customer success through deep industry knowledge and technical expertise. He will soon be leading a panel on Generative AI: Strategies for Scaling Adoption across the Enterprise at our Connected Worker Summit in Chicago, from 13-15 November.

Watch as he shares thought leadership ideas and insights into the evolution of Industry 4.0 and how organizations can effectively strategize and scale the adoption of Generative AI.

The technology landscape is ever evolving, ushering significant changes for the Connected Worker across varying industries and organizations. With the availability of generative AI and numerous software solutions the industry now has at their disposal, implementation can be challenging, especially across large enterprises like Duravant.

Having acquired multiple companies and businesses over a span of 10+ years, Duravant has established itself as a leader in the industry and the manufacturing sector. However, implementing a Connected Worker program across a diverse pool of companies and cultures poses its unique set of challenges and obstacles. Something as simple as harmonizing Microsoft Teams and looking up employees in an “Address Book” across the enterprise poses complexities.

In this interview with Patrick Quint, Chief Information Officer at Duravant, we explore how the company is navigating and leveraging technology to improve their Connected Worker program, and how they are actively integrating diverse operations and acquisitions into their enterprise to enhance collaboration and efficiency.

Advancements in digital technology offer radically new ways of working that can improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimize manufacturing operations. However, the adoption of technology comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges facing the manufacturing industry is a labor shortage.

A recent study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, found that up to 2.1 million US manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030, costing the economy a whopping $1 trillion dollars annually. Part of the problem is a skills mismatch. On one hand, manufacturing workers are losing jobs to automation, even as manufacturers find it tough to hire enough people to do the work they need doing.

That’s why manufacturing organizations need to do more to upskill their existing workforce, argues Hao Dinh, Vice President of Technology at Enpro Industries.

In this interview, we spoke with him about the various challenges facing digital upskilling and the Connected Worker, and what industry leaders must consider when driving digital transformation initiatives. His advice on how to digitally upskill your existing workforce offers promising insights and solutions.

Want to attend The Connected Worker, Chicago Summit 2024 but not sure how to convince your manager it's a great investment? Look no further!

The Connected Worker, Chicago Summit is North America's #1 event for Manufacturing leaders (LIKE YOU!) who are looking to unleash data-driven decision making on the plant floor. It's the one event you don't want to miss!

We have put together a template letter that will help you convince your boss that this is THE must attend event of the year. Download the template, edit it to suit your needs and send it to your boss!

Ahead of The Connected Worker, Chicago Summit this October, we’ve compiled exclusive insights from senior operations, manufacturing and digital executives via surveys and research calls, to benchmark the challenges and opportunities facing leaders today. Discover top industry insights with our informative infographic, including:

• Top Challenges Facing Senior Executives in Manufacturing
• Top Initiatives Senior Executives are Exploring
• Top Reasons to Invest in Connected Worker Initiatives
• Top Areas of Investment within the next 6-12months
• Top Areas of Investment within the next 12-24 months

The Connected Worker Series welcomed over 500 digital and operational leaders in 2023 for interactive discussions, debate and creative thinking to understand how to deploy connected worker platforms and supporting technologies for measurable business benefits.

What was evident from the discussions onsite was that our leaders were facing numerous challenges as they strive to remain competitive in a dynamic and ever-changing market. With a rapidly aging workforce, attraction and retention challenges and workforce attrition, many of our attendees were looking to understand how they could use data-driven solutions to attract the next generation digital savvy workforce, capture and retain knowledge, and drive continuous improvement though a more flexible, productive and engaged workforce.

Please enjoy the series highlights in this post-event report. We hope to see you at the next one!

Every year, The Connected Worker, Chicago Summit gathers hundreds of leaders from Top 500 Manufacturing companies in North America. 

Download a Current Attendee List below, and find out job titles and companies who are attending the summit this year so far*.

*Last Updated 22 July

Boost your brand visibility and engagement at The Connected Worker, Chicago Summit through various impactful sponsorship opportunities. Each option is crafted to maximize exposure and foster positive associations with attendees.

Some of the key opportunities outlined include:

• Hosting a function. We have 6 opportunities remaining, from hosting a welcome reception to an exclusive golf partner
• Enhanced brand visibility. Options include being a hydration partner, WiFi sponsor, exclusive charging station sponsorship, and more
• Speaking, Networking, and Exhibition Packages: Tailored to meet your specific needs and objectives

Check out our other supportive documents:

Sponsorship Prospectus

Floor Plan

Current Attendee List

At The Connected Worker Manufacturing Summit you'll lead discussions, showcase your tech and make valuable contacts as an event sponsor. Delegates are tackling the challenges faced whilst:

• Moving from connected worker, to connected workforce
• Reducing risk in hazardous conditions with connected safety management
• Improving efficiencies and consistency with remote operations
• Leveraging connected worker technology to improve maintenance and inspections

Our delegates are also looking for the latest technology and solutions including wearable technology, augmented reality, in-field sensors, workforce analytics, asset tracking, mobile learning and more. To find out more, get your copy of the The Connected Worker Manufacturing Summit agenda today, and email us at opportunities@iqpc.com with any questions.

At The Connected Worker Summit - Chicago you'll lead discussions, showcase your tech and make valuable contacts as an event sponsor. Delegates are tackling the challenges faced whilst:

• Moving from connected worker, to connected workforce
• Reducing risk in hazardous conditions with connected safety management
• Improving efficiencies and consistency with remote operations
• Leveraging connected worker technology to improve maintenance and inspections

Our delegates are also looking for the latest technology and solutions including wearable technology, augmented reality, in-field sensors, workforce analytics, asset tracking, mobile learning and more. To find out more, get your copy of the The Connected Worker Summit agenda today, and email us at opportunities@iqpc.com with any questions.