Manufacturing Resilience Forum: Digitalisation Live

This event is for MANUFACTURERS ONLY, you may be refunded if you're not a manufacturer.

Digital transformation is no longer a question of if, it's a question of how.

And for SMEs navigating the complexity of new technologies, competing priorities, and limited resource, knowing where to start can feel like the biggest barrier of all.

That's why the Halston B2B Manufacturing Resilience Forum is proud to present Digitalisation Live, a focused, expert-led event designed specifically for manufacturing SMEs ready to take the next step in their digital journey.

Bringing together industry specialists, technology innovators, and manufacturers who have already made the leap, Digitalisation Live cuts through the noise to deliver practical insight, real-world case studies, and honest conversation about what digitalisation actually looks like on the shop floor.

Whether you're exploring your first steps with automation, considering an investment in data and connectivity, or looking to scale a digital strategy that's already underway, this is the event that meets you where you are — and shows you what's possible.

Expect expert panels, live demonstrations, and the kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing that only comes from a room full of people who understand the realities of running a manufacturing business in 2026.

Agenda:

09:00 - 09:25 Arrival & Networking

09:25 - 09:30 Welcome note from Jamie Ollivere, CEO at RTC North

09:30 - 09:45 Keynote - John Cook, Founder of Waypoint North

09:45 - 10:30 Lightning Talks - Join three manufacturers from different sizes, scales and industries give a top level view of their digitalisation journey in just 5 slides finishing with a Q&A
Sponsored by Our Headline Sponsors RTC North & Made Smarter

Chair: Jamie Ollivere, CEO at RTC North

Lightning Talks from:

• Emma Chapman, ECS-UK
• Alan Halliday, SARAS
• James Talbot, Great Balls of Flour

10:30 - 11:15 Workshop One - Map Your Digital Gaps: A Practical Audit of Your Operations
Sponsored by Vensis
Speakers: Ben Geldeard (Vensis)

11:15 - 11:45 Break & Networking

11:45 - 12:15 Panel Session - People, Culture and Change: The Human Side of Going Digital
Sponsored by Schofield Sweeney
Chair: Dorrien Peters, Partner at Schofield Sweeney

Panellists:

• Andrew Walton, Production Manager, ACS Steel
• Helen Kenyon, Head of Data, Arville Textiles
• Amanda McLaren, Group Managing Director | CEO / MD | Manufacturing Transformation & Growth

12:15 - 13:00 Workshop Two - Build Your Digital Roadmap: From Today to 2027
Sponsored by Razor
Speakers: Tom Wilson (Razor)

13:00 - 13:30  AEO & GEO: The Future of Manufacturers’ Visibility
Presenter: Jessica Farrow, Head of Communications, Halston B2B

13:30 - 14:30 Lunch & Networking