09.08.2023, PORTO, Portugal – Critical Manufacturing, a global leader in next-level automation and manufacturing execution systems (MES), has announced a stellar slate of speakers and panelists for its upcoming MES & Industry 4.0 (MESI) International Summit. Portugal’s Secretary of State for Digitalization and Administrative Modernization Mário Campolargo will deliver the inaugural speech to the conference; Industry 4.0 strategy advisor Jeff Winter from Hitachi Solutions, will deliver the opening keynote; and experts implementing digitalization projects will share their experience and insights in panels and presentations throughout the two-day event.
“This is a very exciting time to be involved in manufacturing automation. Industry 4.0 is taking hold, and many companies are finding smarter ways to cut costs, streamline operations and improve quality. We created this summit as a platform for bringing those who have cross industry and cross company experience with smart manufacturing together with those applying it in their own companies,” said Francisco Almada Lobo, CEO at Critical Manufacturing.
MES & Industry 4.0 International Summit provides industry leaders, experts, and visionaries who are shaping the future of the manufacturing industry a platform to connect, collaborate, and explore the latest innovations, trends, and best practices in an environment conducive to learning and growth. It includes a panel discussion, hands-on round tables, captivating demonstrations, and thought-provoking case studies.
Jeff Winter, the keynote speaker is an expert in helping manufacturers implement Industry 4.0 to improve their operations. Second day will feature a keynote presentation on ‘Supercharging Manufacturing Transformation: Delivering business value from shop floor to top floor’ by Hari Sadarhalli and Shantanu Rai, corporate vice president and associate vice president respectively, at HCL Technologies Ltd. The event will further encompass roundtable discussions led by Critical Manufacturing MES users and other industry leaders, focusing on the following topics:
•Role of MES and IIoT in Building Resilient and Data-driven Enterprise. Thomas Beeg, Managing Director and CEO at Fabmatics USA will moderate the panel, which will include Frank Hochschultz from Fraunhofer, Thomas Amrein from Vishay, and Christian Schmidbauer from AMS Osram.
•Decoding IoT: Practical Guidance for Success in Modern Manufacturing, which will focus on the Internet of Things (IoT) in the context of modern manufacturing and shop-floor equipment integration. Panelists include John Vargo, Jeff Rericha and Yi Han Lee, all of Rovisys.
•Partnering for the Digital Plant of Future, which will examine the divide between the Industry 4.0 vision and the reality. Panelists include Cognizant IOT industrial operations specialists Amol Akre and NS Mahadevan.
•Docker Containers, the Future of Industry 4 Software Development. Panelists include Neil Cresswell and Tobia Mühlnikel, both of Portainer.io.
Complementing the keynotes and panels will be industry use case presentations from experts representing the following industries:
•Semiconductor production, including Didier Chavet, head of manufacturing IT operations, Micron Technology; David Fried, corporate vice president, Lam Research; Priya Almelkar, VP IT manufacturing and product engineering, Wolfspeed, and Missy Stigall SVP, global fab Wolfspeed.
•Medical device manufacturing, including Michael Kaiser, global process coordinator, B.Braun and Tonniele Naeher, MES program manager, Integer.
•Industrial equipment manufacturing, including Tarun Chopra, head of manufacturing services for Danfoss Group IT.
•Electronics manufacturing, including Alexander Hagenfeldt, Senior Manager Service EMEA at ASMPT.
Expected attendees include CXOs, VPs, directors, and managers of manufacturing, production, IT and operations, many of whom are managing digitalization, innovation initiatives. Space is limited and available on a first come, first service basis.
For more information about MESI 4.0 or to pre-register for the event, please visit https://mesi40-summit.com?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=bcm&utm_campaign=MESI40
About Critical Manufacturing
Critical Manufacturing, leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant and a subsidiary of ASMPT, provides the most modern, flexible, and configurable manufacturing execution system (MES) available. Critical Manufacturing MES helps manufacturers stay ahead of stringent product traceability and compliance requirements, reduce risk with inherent closed-loop quality, integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems and factory automation, and provide deep intelligence and visibility of global production operations.
As a result, our customers are Industry 4.0 ready. They can compete effectively and profitably by easily adapting their operations to changes in demand, opportunity, or requirements, anywhere, at any time. For more information, visit www.criticalmanufacturing.com
About ASMPT
ASMPT (HKEX stock code: 0522) is a leading global supplier of hardware and software solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors and electronics. Headquartered in Singapore, ASMPT’s offerings encompass the semiconductor assembly & packaging, and SMT (surface mount technology) industries, ranging from wafer deposition to the various solutions that organise, assemble and package delicate electronic components into a vast range of end-user devices, which include electronics, mobile communications, computing, automotive, industrial, and LED (displays). ASMPT partners with customers very closely, with continuous investment in R&D helping to provide cost-effective, industry-shaping solutions that achieve higher productivity, greater reliability, and enhanced quality.
Online merchants should consider seven key factors about American consumers in order to optimize their sales and operations this holiday season, according to a report from DHL eCommerce.
First, many of the most powerful sales platforms are marketplaces. With nearly universal appeal, 99% of U.S. shoppers buy from marketplaces, ranked in popularity from Amazon (92%) to Walmart (68%), eBay (47%), Temu (32%), Etsy (28%), and Shein (21%).
Second, they use them often, with 61% of American shoppers buying online at least once a week. Among the most popular items are online clothing and footwear (63%), followed by consumer electronics (33%) and health supplements (30%).
Third, delivery is a crucial aspect of making the sale. Fully 94% of U.S. shoppers say delivery options influence where they shop online, and 45% of consumers abandon their baskets if their preferred delivery option is not offered.
That finding meshes with another report released this week, as a white paper from FedEx Corp. and Morning Consult said that 75% of consumers prioritize free shipping over fast shipping. Over half of those surveyed (57%) prioritize free shipping when making an online purchase, even more than finding the best prices (54%). In fact, 81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a retailer’s free shipping threshold, FedEx said.
In additional findings from DHL, the Weston, Florida-based company found:
43% of Americans have an online shopping subscription, with pet food subscriptions being particularly popular (44% compared to 25% globally). Social Media Influence:
61% of shoppers use social media for shopping inspiration, and 26% have made a purchase directly on a social platform.
37% of Americans buy from online retailers in other countries, with 70% doing so at least once a month. Of the 49% of Americans who buy from abroad, most shop from China (64%), followed by the U.K. (29%), France (23%), Canada (15%), and Germany (13%).
While 58% of shoppers say sustainability is important, they are not necessarily willing to pay more for sustainable delivery options.
Schneider says its FreightPower platform now offers owner-operators significantly more access to Schneider’s range of freight options. That can help drivers to generate revenue and strengthen their business through: increased access to freight, high drop and hook rates of over 95% of loads, and a trip planning feature that calculates road miles.
“Collaborating with owner-operators is an important component in the success of our business and the reliable service we can provide customers, which is why the network has grown tremendously in the last 25 years,” Schneider Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Mexico John Bozec said in a release. "We want to invest in tools that support owner-operators in running and growing their businesses. With Schneider FreightPower, they gain access to better load management, increasing their productivity and revenue potential.”
Economic activity in the logistics industry continued its expansion streak in October, growing for the 11th straight month and reaching its highest level in two years, according to the most recent Logistics Managers’ Index report (LMI), released this week.
The LMI registered 58.9, up from 58.6 in September, and continued a run of moderate growth that began late in 2023. The LMI is a monthly measure of business activity across warehousing and transportation markets. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.
October’s reading showed the fastest rate of expansion in the overall index since September of 2022, when the index hit 61.4. The results show that the industry is continuing its steady recovery from the volatility and sluggish freight market conditions that plagued the sector just after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the LMI researchers.
“The big takeaway is that we’re continuing the slow, steady recovery,” said LMI researcher Zac Rogers, associate professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University. “I think, ultimately, it’s better to have the slow and steady recovery because it is more sustainable.”
All eight of the LMI’s indices grew during the month, with the Transportation Prices index showing the most growth, at nearly 6 points higher than September, reflecting increased activity across transportation markets. Transportation capacity expanded slightly during the month, remaining just above the 50-point threshold. Rogers said more capacity will enter the market if prices continue to rise, citing idle capacity across the market due to overbuilding during the pandemic years.
“Normally we don’t have this much slack in the market,” he said. “We overbuilt in 2021, so there’s more slack available to soak up this additional demand.”
The LMI is a monthly survey of logistics managers from across the country. It tracks industry growth overall and across eight areas: inventory levels and costs; warehousing capacity, utilization, and prices; and transportation capacity, utilization, and prices. The report is released monthly by researchers from Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, and the University of Nevada, Reno, in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).
The port worker strike that began yesterday on Canada’s west coast could cost that country $765 million a day in lost trade, according to the ALPS Marine analysis by Russell Group, a British data and analytics company.
Specifically, the labor strike at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Fraser-Surrey will hurt the commodities of furniture, metal products, meat products, aluminum, and clothing. But since the strike action is focused on stopping containers and general cargo, it will not slow operations in grain vessels or cruise ships, the firm said.
“The Canadian port strike is a microcosm of many of the issues that are impacting Western economies today; protection against automation, better work-life balance, and a cost-of-living crisis,” Russell Group Managing Director Suki Basi said in a release. “Taken together, these pressures are creating a cocktail of connected risk for countries, business, individuals and entire sectors such as marine insurance, which help to mitigate cargo exposures.”
The strike is also sending ripples through neighboring U.S. ports, which are hustling to absorb the diverted cargo, according to David Kamran, assistant vice president for Moody’s Ratings.
“The recurrence of strikes at Canadian seaports is positive for U.S. ports that may gain cargo throughput, depending on the strike duration,” Kamran said in a statement. “The current dispute at Vancouver is another example of the resistance of port unions to automation and the social risk involved with implementing these technologies. Persistent disruption in Canadian port access would strengthen the competitive position of US West Coast ports over the medium-term, as shippers seek to diversify cargo away from unreliable gateways.”
The strike is also affected rail movements, according to ocean cargo carrier Maersk. CN has stopped all international intermodal shipments bound for the west coast ports of Prince Rupert, Robbank, Centerm, Vanterm, and Fraser Surrey Docks. And CPKC has stopped acceptance of all export loads and pre-billed empties destined for Vancouver ports.
Connected with the turmoil, Maersk has suspended its import and export carrier demurrage and detention clock for most affected operations. The ultimate duration of the strike is unknown, but the situation is “rapidly evolving” as talks continue between the Longshore Workers Union (ILWU 514) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), Maersk said.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Mode Global said it will now assume Jillamy's comprehensive logistics and freight management solutions, while Jillamy's warehousing, packaging and fulfillment services remain unchanged. Under the agreement, Mode Global will gain more than 200 employees and add facilities in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario to its existing national footprint.
Chalfont, Pennsylvania-based Jillamy calls itself a 3PL provider with expertise in international freight, intermodal, less than truckload (LTL), consolidation, over the road truckload, partials, expedited, and air freight.
"We are excited to welcome the Jillamy freight team into the Mode Global family," Lance Malesh, Mode’s president and CEO, said in a release. "This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our growth strategy and aligns perfectly with Mode's strategic vision to expand our footprint, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the logistics industry. Joining forces with Jillamy enhances our service portfolio and provides our clients with more comprehensive and efficient logistics solutions."