At the Palais des congrès in Montreal, Advanced Manufacturing Canada 2015 will bring together manufacturing business leaders to look at how innovation and technology present opportunities for a sector traditionally slow to adopt disruptive tech.
“New technologies, such as industrial automation and additive manufacturing, have an impact not only on manufacturing methods, but more fundamentally, on business models in the manufacturing sector,” said Jayson Myers, president and chief executive of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME). “Those who adopt these technologies and new methods have access to vast growth opportunities and will be first to benefit from open global markets.”
As 70 percent of Canadian companies admit they don’t actually have a larger innovation strategy, the forum is meant to encourage Canadian manufacturers to make the latter a priority. Eric Tétrault, President of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Quebec, said that manufacturers must look at smart factories, which integrate connectivity on production lines and use automation.
“With free trade, innovation becomes an obligation for Canadian companies. To innovate, companies must turn to automation, embrace advanced manufacturing and the smart factory,” Tetrault said.