Terms such as "Industry 4.0" and "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" are used often and widely. What does it actually mean? How can this benefit you and your customers, reduce cost, drive up profitability and ultimately bring on new business? Where do you start? How much does it cost? 

So many questions! This panel answers all of these questions and more, delving into the practicalities. The Fourth Industrial Revolution needn't cost the earth and it has to make sense for your business.

Although Hesco HQ and main manufacturing plant is in Leeds, the company positions itself in the market as a global company.

In 2012, Hesco lost not only the main product patent but also the founding CEO, Jimi Heseldene was killed in a tragic accident. The company went from turnover  £120m to £20m overnight. Times really couldn't have been more challenging. The stakeholders brought in Mike Hughes, now CEO of Hesco.

Mike established a new leadership team and took an overall view of the entire company structure; from earnings, activities, what the company was producing and for what reason.

By refining and streamlining the business as well as a change of focus and recognising just what Hesco's value proposition is, the company is now turning over in excess of £50m with a solid growth plan in place and with a higher profit margin than before 2012.

Hesco now operates by manufacturing for stock whereas they used to manufacture for supply which has been one of the key changes in the increasing success of the company.

Join Mike as he delves into his thought process behind this astounding case of change management.

How do you ‘Mass Customise’ at the same speed and quality as traditional mass production? 

Digitalisation is putting increasing pressures on manufacturers; there’s an expectation from consumers for products to be designed and manufactured to individual requirements. Automotive industry is a great example of ‘Mass Customisation’. Every car is manufactured to Customer specifications and produced on the same production line as everyone else’s customised car.

The demand for customisation will cross to all sectors; from mobile phones to food and beverage. One of the most exciting sectors, impacting all our lives, is Pharmaceuticals, where the vision of personalised medication is already underway.

This is a fascinating insight from Siemens on the challenge of maintaining productivity in our ever changing manufacturing landscape.

Sustainability in the beverage supply chain.