Northern Ireland Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference highlights
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog , Archive
- September 15, 2024
- Updated:
Table of Contents
On the Sustainability stage, I had the opportunity to share how we’ve integrated Greener Software Principles into our designs and their impact on the steel industry. Our collaboration with leading rebar supplier Midland Steel aims to optimise production processes and drive a reduction in scrap and carbon emissions. My talk detailed how our tools aim to reduce emissions but we are also trying to optimise development practices to prevent inefficiencies. I also got to meet project collaborator Mark Elwell from KUKA Robotics Ireland partners on this project.
I contributed to a panel discussion tackled the critical topic of “Addressing the Skills Gap in Northern Ireland, which was moderated by Brian Barry along with Philip McNally, Senior Manager at Deloitte Ireland. We talked about many solutions to the skills gaps, often return to key practical ones such as education and mentoring.
I shared how a programme like Strada Europe’s first dedicated leadership programme for emerging women in manufacturing could contribute addressing the manufacturing skills gap across Europe. The stats for female representation at middle management level are estimated to be 17% and female participation in junior roles is as low at 25%. Strada is a 3 month online programme that is EIT Manufacturing and Innovate UK funded, making it free to participants. A highlight for me was meeting Lauren McGarry Senior Engineer at AMIC who took Strada last year. She supported me on my talk and shared her first hand experience of the value that the programme gave her.
There was an update on one of the biggest development in NI, the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) - link no longer works and CEO Sam Turner shared his vision for how Northern Ireland can harness innovation to strengthen its manufacturing industry. The centre is led by Queen’s University Belfast with a £100m investment, they are building a world-class, industry-led innovation centre, supported by top-tier engineering expertise and academic excellence.
There were lots of great exhibitors and I really enjoyed chatting about scrap with the folks from McKenzies who are a leading metal recycler based in Belfast. Their new smelting furnace keeps keep around 40,000 tons of aluminium from being shipped outside of Northern Ireland.
FAQs
What is the Northern Ireland manufacturing landscape?
Northern Ireland has a significant and diverse manufacturing base — aerospace components, food processing, engineering, pharma, and automotive are all represented, alongside a growing technology sector that is beginning to penetrate manufacturing with digital tools. The Supply Chain Conference brings together manufacturers, tier one suppliers, and technology providers in a setting that reflects the interconnected nature of modern manufacturing: you cannot optimise your operation in isolation from the supply chain you depend on and the customers you serve.
GoSmarter’s participation in the conference reflected both its growing presence in the Northern Ireland market and its broader mission to bring practical AI tools to manufacturers who are ready to adopt them.
How is supply chain visibility a competitive advantage?
One of the consistent themes at supply chain conferences is the gap between what manufacturers would like to know about their supply chain and what they actually know in real time. Lead times, material availability, certificate status, and delivery reliability are all variables that affect production planning — and all variables that are frequently managed with outdated information.
GoSmarter’s approach to supply chain visibility starts with the manufacturer’s own data: knowing exactly what material is in stock, what it is committed to, when it needs replenishment, and what certificates accompany it. Getting this foundation right is the prerequisite for any broader supply chain optimisation.
What are the key themes from the conference?
The Northern Ireland conference provided useful intelligence on where the sector’s most pressing needs lie: talent shortages are driving interest in automation that can reduce dependency on scarce skills, sustainability requirements from large customers are creating demand for better carbon and traceability data, and the cost of manual administrative work is increasingly visible as manufacturers look hard at their cost base in a challenging environment.
Each of these themes connects directly to what GoSmarter offers: tools that automate manual work, track materials and their environmental characteristics, and reduce the administrative burden on production teams.
