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2022 Conference Programme

BMW Plant Tour: Tuesday 6 December 2022

16:00 – 18:00 CET

16:15 – 18:15 CET

16:30 – 18:30 CET

18:30 – 20:30 CET

The BMW Munich plant tour

An opportunity to see inside BMW’s digital and electrification transformation at its mother plant in Munich. Learn about the complexity, automation and technology required for producing a range of BMW product and powertrains, including the 3 Series, M3, 4 Series Gran Coupé and the all-electric i4. Find out more about how the plant is maintaining high production at the same time as it prepares to manufacture its first EV-dedicated platform, the Neue Klasse, and what that will mean for the plant and the company’s manufacturing strategy.

Cocktail Reception

Get together with colleagues and industry peers before the conference at the SZ Tower's Panorama Lounge, with stunning views of Munich. Take in the breath-taking views, enjoy a refreshing beverage and exchange ideas with fellow industry leaders and experts, and make new connections in a relaxed atmosphere.

Dress code - Business casual.

Summit: Wednesday 7 December 2022

08:00 – 9:00 CET

09:00 – 9:45 CET

Registration and networking

Join us to collect your badge, enjoy a coffee and start making new connections and catching up with colleagues and friends.

Session 1: Data at the heart of Europe’s manufacturing evolution

Dr Ruediger Eck, Audi
Rüdiger Eck, Director of Data Governance and Analytics for Digital Production, Audi

Copy of Unnamed Design (34)
Timothy McGrath, Technical Process Leader, Plant Oxford, BMW

Karthik Krishnamurthy, AWS
Karthik Krishnamurthy, Global Strategy and Business Development leader for Automotive Manufacturing and Supply Chain, AWS

European carmakers face huge uncertainty even as they must upgrade plants for a new generation of vehicles and technology. But amidst so much change, OEMs and suppliers are increasingly leveraging the huge scale of production data across all stages of the value chain, from body shop through assembly and logistics. Used effectively and with clear actions, this data can help mitigate disruption, reduce errors and downtime, help workers make decisions and speed up factory planning and launch: all essential in OEMs staying competitive and ramping up electric vehicle and battery output.

In this opening panel discussion, data and engineering experts from Europe’s most complex manufacturers, including Audi, discuss the tremendous opportunities in data analytics, artificial intelligence and digital simulation, and the cloud, edge and tools that support them. Learn more about how processing, sharing and standardising data across the stakeholders will power next-generation vehicle production.

09:45 – 10:45 CET

Session 2: Supercharging manufacturing: scaling up battery production in Europe

Matthias Zentgraf, President for Europe, CATL
Matthias Zentgraf, President for Europe, CATL

Francisco Carranza
Francisco Carranza, CEO, Basquevolt

Lars-Calstrom headshot
Lars Carlstrom, Founder and CEO, Italvolt

Battery manufacturers such as CATL, startup players as well as OEMs are investing hugely to establish regional production of battery cells and packs in Europe, with gigafactories coming online. Producing EV batteries brings a range of new complexities, from access to renewable energy and materials and keeping up with chemistry changes in battery cells, to integrating battery enclosure structures in modules.

This session features major battery producers and startups, manufacturers and specialists exploring the production strategies, constraints and opportunities in ramping up output of EV batteries, including in automation, supply chain, chemistries, materials and much more.

10:45 – 11:15 CET

Networking

Connect with old and new acquaintances to talk about all things manufacturing.

11:15 – 11:35 CET

Session 3: A tipping point: European automotive manufacturing outlook

Henner Lehne, S&P Global Mobility
Henner Lehne, Vice-President – Global Vehicle Forecasting, Automotive, S&P Global Mobility

As European faces ongoing crises in energy, supply and inflation, alongside recession worries, the outlook for vehicle production remains uncertain. But the commitment and investment in electric vehicle and battery production is transforming manufacturing, ushering in new players and forging new partnerships. Hear the latest analysis and forecast for the European sector from S&P Global, including volume, regulations and OEM strategies in the face of disruption and changing business models.

11:35 – 12:15 CET

Session 4: Managing an uncertain future in manufacturing

Henner Lehne, S&P Global Mobility
Henner Lehne, Vice-President – Global Vehicle Forecasting, Automotive, S&P Global Mobility

Cengiz Kizilkan, Magswitch
Cengiz Kazilkan, President Global Sales Automation and Executive Director, Europe, Magswitch

Matthias Preuß, next e.GO circle
Dr Matthias Preuß, Vice-President, Global Microfactory Technology, Next e.GO Mobile

In such a volatile environment, OEMs and suppliers must respond to mitigate disruption to production, maximise capacity and optimise production sequences. At the same time, they must adapt plants to meet the requirements of electrification, sustainability and digitalisation. In this sessions, automotive manufacturing experts discuss strategies for managing the pace of change and variety in manufacturing and unpack what they will mean across plant assembly lines and shopfloors.

12:15 – 13:00 CET

Session 5: Assembly in motion: speed and flexibility in vehicle production

Matthias Preuß, next e.GO circle
Dr Matthias Preuß, Vice-President, Global Microfactory Technology, Next e.GO Mobile

Johannes Buehrle, Trumpf (circle)
Johannes Buehrle, Head of Global Industry and Business Development for Mobility, Trumpf

As automotive manufacturers ramp up electric vehicle and battery volumes, they are managing compressed timelines for product development and serial production, gaining an edge by getting to market sooner. In response, OEMs and suppliers are leveraging new EV architectures and implementing strategies to simplify production processes and increase flexibility, including microfactories, modular concepts and software-driven technology.

After a short presentation on highly flexible production strategies from e.GO CTO Dr Stefan Rudolf, a panel of experts from emerging and established manufacturers in Europe will join him to discuss how they are transforming automotive production for a new era of flexibility and speed.

13:00 – 14:00 CET

Lunch

Enjoy our buffet style lunch.

14:00 – 14:45 CET

Session 6: Tier-1 transformation: fast-changing production for automotive suppliers

Arno Güllering, ZF
Arno Güllering, Senior Vice-President Operations – Division Electrified Powertrain Division, ZF

Stephen C. Nunn, Hardinge, Inc.
Stephen C. Nunn, Vice-President, Hardinge

With the European automotive manufacturing landscape changes in the face of ongoing disruption, and transitions to meet the needs of electrification and new technology, tier-1 suppliers are under pressure keep up with new products, processes and competencies. Many are transitioning their plants and staff whilst developing new manufacturing services and technology.

Join this session with major tier-1s and manufacturing experts to better understand what electrification means for tier-1 suppliers in areas like powertrain and body structures, as well as how suppliers are changing their ways of working to be more agile in decision making and production and adapting to an industry where software and data take priority over mechatronic and mechanical engineering competencies.

14:45 – 15:30 CET

Session 7: Material matters: body, forming and process transformation

Michel Peña, Teknia
Michel Peña, Group Technical and Engineering Director, Teknia

Jesse Paegle, ArcelorMittal
Jesse Paegle, Automotive Steel Solution Director, ArcelorMittal

Adolfsson, Jonas SSAB
Jonas Adolfsson, Business Development, Project Mobility Docol, SSAB

OEMs and suppliers are adapting a range of materials, combinations and approaches in production with the aim of simplifying processes, reducing weight and emissions. Electrification and sustainability targets are leading to changes body in body-in-white, including across high-strength steel and aluminium, but also in the plastics and metals used across interiors, and in trim and assembly.

In this session, learn more about how suppliers and manufacturers are adapting forming and injection processes, and how new technology and materials are ushering in new innovations in manufacturing.

15:30 – 16:00 CET

Session 8: Painting a brighter day: increasing speed, reducing errors in paintshop

Sébastien Salze, SAMES KREMLIN
Sébastian Salze, Automotive Business Development Specialist, SAMES

Robin Kaufmann, FANUC
Robin Kaufmann, Head of Sales Paint Shop Automation Europe, FANUC Europe GmbH

As OEMs use more data analytics and digitalisation to optimise processes and reduce waste, many are improving operations in paintshops with new levels of automation, error detection and energy management. In this session, learn how OEMs, robotic and paintshop specialists are increasing efficiency and speed in coating and drying process in paintshop, and making key steps to reduce emissions and pollution.

16:00 – 16:30 CET

Networking

Connect with old and new acquaintances to talk about all things manufacturing.

16:30 – 17:15 CET

Session 9: Engineering the future of manufacturing

Seonhi Ro, Ford (circle)
Dr Seonhi Ro, Industry 4.0 Specialist, Ford Research and Advanced Manufacturing Europe

Erich Barnstedt, Microsoft
Erich Barnstedt, Lead Architect for Azure, Microsoft

Automotive OEMs and suppliers aim to transform existing and new factories into a new generation of smart factories that produce vehicle sustainably. With the convergence of digitalisation and electrification, manufacturing engineers are reimagining production flows, redesigning layouts and supplier processes, and using connected equipment and visibility across plants to build up digital twins and both anticipate issues and simulate different scenarios, speeding up production changes.

In this session, learn more about both the cutting-edge technologies, partnerships and the simple steps Europe’s industry is taking to future-proof factories and quicken the rollout of new technology, battery and EV production.

17:15 – 18:00 CET

Session 10: Blossoming brownfields: rejuvenating Europe’s car plants

Dr Peter Weber, BMW Group
Peter Weber, Director Plant Munich, BMW Group

Kjell Walöen, cofounder and chief manufacturing officer at Volta trucks
Kjell Walöen, Co-Founder and Chief Manufacturing and Logistics Officer, Volta Trucks

To achieve ambitions in electrification and sustainability, carmakers and battery producers across Europe are upgrading facilities, equipment and systems to stay competitive with other regions and new players. That means optimising value streams to ensure production is lean and efficient, whilst integrating advanced data and digitalisation technologies. It is also a huge opportunity to reindustrialise existing or former production plants.

In this session, BMW Munich Plant Director Peter Weber will explain how BMW is achieving these objectives with its iFactory strategy, and how its 100-year-old plant in the centre of Munich is being transformed into a global benchmark for a new generation of EVs and for lean, green and digital production. He will then be joined by other experts to discuss how manufacturers in Europe are revamping production plants and ensuring their existing production plants can be as flexible and efficient as any greenfield.

18:00 CET

Networking Drinks

A great chance to get together with your fellow delegates in a relaxed atmosphere after the conference. Our drinks reception provides an excellent forum in which to exchange views and contact details with some of the finest minds in the automotive manufacturing sector in the Exhibition Hall at the SZ Tower.