“I believe this plant is going to lay the foundation for Navistar for many years to come,” said Mark Hernandez in March at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Navistar International’s new manufacturing plant in San Antonio.
The 1 million-square-foot factory, which showcases the convergence of Industry 4.0 and lean manufacturing, is also the first U.S. assembly truck plant constructed in nearly 30 years.
“I look at this facility and say, ‘Wow, we’ve come a long way,’” Hernandez, Navistar executive vice president, global manufacturing and logistics, told the assembled crowd during that opening day of celebration. He’d first pitched the idea for a highly efficient smart factory nearly four years ago, and to see it come to fruition had to be a thrill.
Hernandez will be sharing a taste of that thrill – and the challenge – at the 2022 Manufacturing & Technology Show, an IndustryWeek leadership event. In an October 20 keynote address, this veteran of truck manufacturing will address the desire many manufacturing leaders share – the opportunity to build a factory of the future from the ground up. Navistar’s Hernandez will share with attendees how he got the chance to build the factory, how he chose to outfit it and what the results of the project have been.
It’s sure to be a compelling presentation, and it is one of many can’t-miss sessions at the IndustryWeek M&T show and exhibit hall. This year’s event is scheduled for Oct. 18-20 in Cleveland.
Here’s a preview of what’s in store for attendees this year.
Keynote Presentations: Leadership, EV Supply Chain
In addition to Hernandez, the conference will feature two additional keynote sessions. Fortune Brands’ Cheri Phyfer will share leadership lessons at an Oct. 19 morning address. Phyfer is president, Water Innovations, in Fortune Brands’ Global Plumbing Group. Familiar brand names within this group include Moen.
Register now for the 2022 IW Manufacturing & Technology Show
The third keynote mentioned in this article actually kicks off the IndustryWeek conference on Oct. 18. With electric vehicle manufacturing surging in Ohio and surrounding areas, the time is now to talk about the EV supply chain – and this keynote panel discussion will do just that. Look for speakers from battery cell maker Ultium Cells (a GM, LG Electronics joint venture), Eaton and others to share what is needed from suppliers to build a strong EV supply chain.
Manufacturing Plant Tours
In-person manufacturing plant tours return to the Manufacturing & Technology Show for the first time in several years, and attendees face three diverse options from which to choose. The plant tours include Charter Steel, a mini mill that operates in the Cleveland area and which includes a melt shop and rolling mill; General Motors Parma Metal Center, where the workforce produces sheet metal stampings and assemblies for many GM vehicle programs; and Vitamix, manufacturer of Vitamix blenders and a company with a long lean manufacturing history.
IW Best Plants
The winners of the 2022 IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards competition haven’t been announced yet, but stay tuned: The announcement comes in August. Moreover, members from the winning facilities will participate in an IW Best Plants panel discussion, a longstanding and popular component of the M&T show. Attendees can learn directly from the best, and participate as well. This session includes a robust question-and-answer element.
And That’s Not All
Who else is speaking at the 2022 IndustryWeek Manufacturing Show? Conference speakers are aligned with one of three tracks – advanced manufacturing (technology), continuous improvement, or leadership and workforce – and a full listing of confirmed speakers is available here. That said, let’s mention a few additional presenters.
Lori Shaffer, vice president of Global Nonwovens at Kimberly-Clark, will address both talent and leadership with her presentation, The Power of Purpose—How Manufacturing Organizations that Lead with Purpose Will Win the Battle for Talent.
A trio of speakers from Intel Corp. will discuss how this semiconductor manufacturer uses digital twins to build and manage its manufacturing operations. They will share how they visualize factory layout and flow, simulate manufacturing operations and tailor complex processes.
Paul Ericksen, IW’s supply chain advisor and a frequent contributor of columns on the topic, will speak on lean supply chain strategy. Joining him is consultant Rick Bohan, also a frequent contributor to IndustryWeek on topics of lean and leadership. Both have decades of experience working in and around manufacturing.
And Ford Motor Co.’s Saso Krstovski, lean manufacturing coach, will discuss how to win over skeptical workers. Krstovski has shared his wisdom with IW on several occasions. You can find those insights here.
We also have speakers from Ericcson North America, Johnnson & Johnson, Vitamix (also a plant tour host), Flex, Michelin North America, and Lester Building Systems. Moreover, the conference and expo team continues to round out the event agenda.
Learn more at the IW Manufacturing & Technology Show website, www.mfgtechshow.com.
