With the early-bird date fast approaching, registrations are pointing to record attendance for the IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference & Expo, to be held in Charlotte, N.C., May 4 to May 6, according to event directors.
With the early-bird rate, conference attendees can save $150 off their registration and secure their preferred plant tour, some of which are close to being sold out.
The popular conference, featuring IndustryWeek’s annual salute to outstanding North American manufacturing facilities, provides continuous improvement practitioners with the opportunity to learn from the best of the best, the winners of the IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards program, celebrating its 25th year, and other manufacturing industry thought leaders. It also features the IndustryWeek Best Plant Winners’ Awards Ceremony, where IndustryWeek’s CI community recognizes and honors the winning teams.
The event features nine behind-the-scenes plant tours, 36 presentations featuring over 50 manufacturing leaders -- including past and present IndustryWeek Best Plant Award winners -- and four keynote addresses delivered by leading manufacturing executives.
Conference attendees will leave this event brimming with ideas about how to operate their facilities faster, better, leaner and more profitably.Patricia Panchak, IndustryWeek Editor-in-Chief
Two networking opportunities, an opening cocktail reception sponsored by Kronos, and a special evening at the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s infield and Champion’s Pavilion, sponsored by Rockwell Automation, enable attendees to get to know each other, share challenges and exchange ideas.
In addition, the IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference includes an exhibition hall and the co-located MESA International North American Conference. The Expo hall is a great way to discover companies that have solutions for your business needs. The show floor also provides an atmosphere to network with 700-plus conference attendees who are seeking similar products or solutions.
Engage, Explore and Speak Up
The MESA North American Conference includes the Manufacturing Meets IT track, one of six tracks on the IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference agenda. This track offers sessions built for those looking to understand the role and business value of IT-based solutions in manufacturing. Also, on Monday, May 4, MESA offers the “unConference sessions, which provide attendees a safe zone to engage, explore and speak up.
"The agenda is packed, from plant tours, high-profile keynote speakers and a wide range of presentations, to numerous networking opportunities, an exhibition hall and more," said Patricia Panchak, IndustryWeek Editor-in-Chief. "Conference attendees will leave this event brimming with ideas about how to operate their facilities faster, better, leaner and more profitably."
At the IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference, attendees will:
- Discover the best practices and strategies that IndustryWeek Best Plants Award winners use to achieve breakthrough performance.
- Learn how to adapt and implement the best practices and strategies in their facility through compelling presentations.
- Gain business-critical insights from top executives of world-leading companies, including
- Paul Gallagher, President of Supply for North America, Diageo
- Bill Muir, Chief Operating Officer, Jabil
- Avi Reichental, President & CEO, 3D Systems
- Todd Rytting, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America
- Meet and network with other industry professionals, IndustryWeek editorial staff and conference speakers—which include past and present IndustryWeek Best Plant Award winners.
- Understand why 99% of previous IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference attendees would recommend their colleagues attend this conference.
Plant Tours Give Behind-the-Scenes Looks
Plant tours include a behind-the-scenes look at each facility’s continuous improvement initiatives. Tours include BMW Manufacturing Co.; Bosch Rexroth Charlotte Plant; Flextronics – Charlotte; Jacobsen, A Textron Company; National Gypsum Mt. Holly, NC Plant; Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub; Snyder's-Lance Inc.; State Farm Multi Regional Service Facility (MRSF) – East; and TE Connectivity - Rock Hill Facility.
Six Tracks Mirror Mission-Critical Priorities
Tailor your learning experience by choosing from among 36 sessions across six tracks, including
- Continuous Improvement Fundamentals
- Advanced Continuous Improvement
- Leadership & Innovation
- Workforce Development
- Manufacturing Technology Strategies
- Manufacturing Meets IT
Special Networking Event
Attendees have an opportunity to experience real life racing thrills by riding shotgun in a 2-seat NASCAR racecar driven by one of Richard Petty Driving Experience professional drivers for a 3-lap qualifying run at speeds up to 160mph!
Sponsors include MESA International, Advanced Technology Services Inc., Kronos, Rockwell Automation, Synchrono, ToolingU sme, Tour Guide Solutions, Infinity QS and Hewlett Packard.
Visit http://www.iwbestplants.com for complete information on the IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference & Expo including session details and speaker information.
