Connected Manufacturing Forum 2025

June 23 - 24, 2025

Ritz Carlton St. Louis, MO

Sivadas Menon

Director Operational Excellence Winland Foods

Day Two – Tuesday, June 24, 2025

10:45 AM CONCURRENT ROUNTABLES HOSTED BY MANUFACTURERS

(Facilitated by and for manufacturing company attendees only)

Two 30-minute rotations 

Table# 1 Building an Integrated Manufacturing Architecture- Josef Kriegmair, Representative Industrialization Production Systems, MTU Aero Engines

Table #2 Overcoming Pilot Purgatory- Leoncio Castillo, IT Business Relationship Manager, ICU Medical

 Table #3 - Navigating the Challenges of Data Integration in Smart Manufacturing

Table #4 - Navigating the Complexity of Integrated Information Systems- Ben Branison, Manager Manufacturing Systems, CoorsTek

Table #5 -  Leveraging the principle of “Growth Happens at the Point of Resistance” – Das Menon, Director Winland Excellence, Winland Foods

3:10 PM Integrating Digital Systems With A Continuous Improvement Operating Model

Integrating digital systems with a continuous improvement operating model is a powerful approach that can transform organizational performance. This session explores how businesses can seamlessly blend digital technologies with lean methodologies and continuous improvement practices to create a dynamic, data-driven culture of ongoing enhancement. Attendees will learn strategies for aligning digital tools with improvement processes, leveraging data analytics for decision-making, and fostering a mindset of perpetual optimization across all levels of the organization.

  • Discover how to harmonize digital systems with continuous improvement methodologies, creating a synergistic approach that amplifies efficiency and innovation.
  • Learn practical techniques for using data analytics and AI to identify improvement opportunities, measure progress, and drive evidence-based decision-making in your continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Explore how Winland Foods have successfully integrated digital systems with their continuous improvement models, achieving significant gains in productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction.

3:30 PM PANEL: Implementing Enterprise Strategies at Regional and Local Levels: Balancing Standardization with Local Innovation

This session will delve into the complexities of implementing enterprise-wide strategies while accommodating the unique practices developed at regional and local plant levels. Participants will explore the challenges of establishing standard practices across the organization, particularly in environments where local facilities have successfully adopted tailored approaches that cater to their specific operational needs. The focus will be on finding the right balance between standardization and flexibility to drive efficiency and innovation at scale.

Key Points:

  • Understanding the Need for Standardization: Discuss the importance of having unified processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and compliance across all levels of the organization.
  • Embracing Local Innovations: Explore how local plants can develop unique strategies that address specific challenges while still aligning with broader enterprise goals.
  • Collaboration and Communication: Identify effective methods for fostering collaboration between corporate and local teams to share best practices, successes, and lessons learned.
  • Scaling Successful Practices: Strategies for replicating successful local innovations across the enterprise without stifling creativity or flexibility in operational execution.

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Sivadas.

Download The Latest Agenda