TROY—The Troy-based technology and manufacturing business association Automation Alley announced that IBM and Intel have signed on as event sponsors for its global Industry 4.0 conference, Integr8.
Heading into its third year, the Nov. 6 event will move to Detroit’s TCF Center (formerly Cobo Center) to accommodate an anticipated 1,000 attendees and an expanded Smart Technology Expo.
Automation Alley Executive Director and CEO Tom Kelly said the event is catching the sponsorship attention of global companies who are positioning themselves as leaders in the Industry 4.0 space.
“In just two years, Integr8 has caught the attention of the world stage when it comes to advanced manufacturing,” he said. “In 2018, the World Economic Forum, which has a global advanced manufacturing initiative in place, came on board. In 2019, we are welcoming mega business brands like IBM and Intel, as well as other new and returning sponsors that are packing a big punch in Industry 4.0. We are extremely grateful to all of our sponsors and supporting partners who understand the urgency of 4.0 adoption and want to see Michigan and the U.S. lead the charge.”
The list of new and returning Integr8 sponsors to date include IBM, Splunk, Behco, PTC, DTE Energy, Sario, Marco, SRI International, Intel, Omron, Plex, Clayton & McKervey, Soft Robotics, Kors Engineering, RPM, TrialAssure, SICK Inc., Kundinger Inc., Comau, Feyen Zylstra, MarketsandMarkets, Mettle Ops, Novastar, OPS Solutions, Prosper-Tech Machine & Tool, Macomb Community College, Ansys, Ascent Aerospace, CenturyLink, Denso, DTI, Farbman Group, General Dynamics Land Systems, Magna International, McLaren Health Care, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, Oakland Schools, Parker Hannifin, Rehmann, Stefanini, and Zeiss Industrial.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the World Economic Forum continue as Integr8 supporting partners.
Integr8 will focus on eight core technologies of what Automation Alley calls the Fourth Industrial Revolution: the internet of things (IoT); big data; robotics; artificial intelligence; the cloud; cybersecurity; additive manufacturing and advanced materials; and modeling, simulation, visualization and immersion. In addition to Michigan and U.S. manufacturing and technology leaders, Integr8 attracts a global audience seeking to learn from and engage with their American counterparts. Countries represented at Integr8 2017 and 2018 included Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Malaysia, China and Japan.
A new format this year will include Industry 4.0 roundtables in addition to breakout sessions. National and international keynote speakers and panelists will offer compelling insights on how to capitalize on the rapid transformation of global manufacturing while ensuring the workforce is prepared for the changing job landscape. The Smart Technology Expo will now include global exhibitors to further highlight the technology options available to facilitate the digital transformation.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the day-long Integr8 conference are available at integr8conference.com. The evening before the conference, Nov. 5, Automation Alley is inviting the business community to mingle with Integr8 presenters and VIP guests at Integr8 Luminate, a strolling dinner and cocktail kick-off reception also held at TCF Center. Tickets for Luminate are also available on the website.