2023 Conference Programme

Discover the potential of where Logistics meets IT!

Pre-Conference Seminar on Digital Twins and Metaverse: Monday November 6

14:00 – 14:30 CET

Registration, networking and refreshments



14:30 – 15:15 CET

Metaverse and the Automotive Supply Chain - How the industrial metaverse can transform automotive value chains 

Supply chains are the very lifeblood of our globally networked automotive industry.  But today it is no longer enough for highly efficient logistics networks to ensure that just-in-time and just-in-sequence deliveries are made. If you want to achieve a real competitive advantage, you have to think about logistics and supply chain management from the very beginning. This is what we call “Shift Left”. And the use of digital technology can go a long way to achieve that competitive advantage. 

SPEAKERS

Dr. Christian Schmidt

Dr Christian Schmidt, Chief Technology Officer, Siemens Digital Logistics

MODERATORS
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media
Riad Mannan, Content Producer, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Digital transformation of the entire lifecycle, from design, material sourcing, logistics, production, use or consumption and disposal is critical. The industrial metaverse makes an important contribution to this transformation as it connects the digital and real worlds, enables the exchange of information, and empowers industry to solve complex problems digitally, change processes, and create societal benefits at the same time.  

Examples include how intelligent platforms help manufacturers accelerate the introduction of new products by reducing sourcing risks and shortening delivery times; Cloud-based control tower solutions providing end-to-end visibility in real time and ensure that OEMs, suppliers and logistics partners are always up-to-date and have a reliable basis for decision-making in the event of unforeseen events. The digital twin – as a central building block of the industrial Metaverse – is the ideal sparring partner with simulation capabilities that allow for optimized logistics networks in terms of cost, performance and sustainability. 

Attend this session to learn from real-world examples of how modern IT solutions from the Metaverse are opening new avenues for the automotive industry.



15:15 – 16:00 CET

Digital Control Tower Case Study: SEAT’s Customer Driven Supply Chain 

End-to-end supply chain connectivity are creating new opportunities to unlock previously invisible efficiencies for manufacturers and customers. Learn how SEAT’s digital control tower strategy is enabling logistics and supply chain partners to reap benefits in terms of visibility, accurate planning and shorter order-to-delivery times. Also understand what the next steps would be to go from digital control tower to a digital supply chain twin, and beyond.

SPEAKER

Alexandre Lerma round

Alexandre Lerma, Manager of Logistics, Customer Driven Supply Chain, SEAT

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

This practical case study will demonstrate how Spanish OEM SEAT is advancing its customer-driven supply chain by integrating inbound, production and distribution data in its control tower, and integrating it with layers of digital, end-to-end supply chain visibility, advanced analytics and data integration. You will learn how the Volkswagen Group member is using digitalisation to become more predictive and mitigate risks, but also to optimise production schedules and provide customers with shorter, more accurate delivery lead times. Presented by Alexandre Lerma, manager of SEAT’s customer driven supply chain, this case study will show real business results of end-to-end integration and simulation to enhance the supply chain for SEAT and Cupra customers. It will also explore the future potential of advancing to create digital twins in supply chain and logistics. Attend this session to hear about how organisations can:
- Integrate strategic information and data across the supply chain
- Reduce order and lead time in end-to-end processes
- Translate the supply chain into its own digitised universe managed by a control tower
- Use simulation and predictability to optimise the total supply chain



16:00 – 16:30 CET

Networking Break

16:30 – 17:15 CET

Session C: Digital Twin and Metaverse interactive workshop and Q&A

In this interactive workshop, the audience will break into groups and discuss key opportunities and challenges in developing and implementing supply chain digital twins and the industrial metaverse. Come ready to interact and problem solve with digital leaders across the automotive supply chain.


MODERATORS
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media
Riad Mannan, Content Producer, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

17:15 – 20:00 CET

Pre-Conference Drinks

The Automotive Logistics team invites you to enhance your event experience at the inaugural Digital Strategies drinks reception. Connect with international logistics leaders and experts in a relaxed environment to discuss the future path to a more connected, transparent, and predictive supply chain.

Venue - Dress code – Business Casual
Venue - SZ Tower

DAY 1: Tuesday November 7

08:00 – 09:00 CET

Registration, networking and refreshments

09:00 – 09:05 CET

Welcome remarks


09:05 – 09:45 CET

Session 1: Achieving a clear-line-of-sight


SPEAKERS

Michael Stroebel round

Michael Ströbel, Head of Process Management and Digitalisation, BMW Group

Mike Ueland Round

Mike Ueland, Chief Revenue Officer, Cognosos

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Improving visibility and predictability in end-to-end automotive logistics and production processes, including battery supply chains and upstream suppliers, through next-generation systems and connectivity. In this session, learn more about how BMW is leveraging new digital architectures and technology to improve visibility and efficiency in its supply chain.

As ongoing supply chain disruptions have shown, having a clear line of sight from end-customer to OEM to Tier-N suppliers is essential to have true transparency, reduce downtime, manage transport capacity shortages, improve status updates and refine smart decision making. Meanwhile, the transformation to electrification, especially the complexity of battery supply chain and production processes, will require even more data and connections across all processes, from cell ageing quality through to carbon emissions.

Achieving this visibility has been an ongoing challenge beyond OEM and Tier-1 suppliers, exposing the supply chain to issues only when it is too late to avoid any damage. Whether this is because the supply chain is across borders and facing different regulatory environments, or because there are disparate management systems in use, siloed teams and not enough real-time data (or all of the above!), the lack of visibility can often leave OEMs and other stakeholders blindsided. The stakes will be even higher as EV and battery production increases, and as the requirement for sourcing and carbon emissions data becomes even more important.

Join experts from across the logistics and supply chain eco-system, including BMW, to learn how different technologies, processes and standards can help improve visibility across stakeholders. Understand how OEMs and suppliers are tracking transport and assets through more flexible IT architectures and services, using intelligent control towers to gain better visibility and achieve more predictive planning, and more accurate measure and analyse carbon emissions. We will also explore the role that cloud integration, artificial intelligence and blockchain can play in helping to create an even clearer line of sight across the supply chain.


09:45 – 10:45 CET

Session 2: Adapting skills, tools and talents to build an agile work culture and respond to a new data-centric environment


SPEAKERS

JC Deville Round

Jean-Christophe Deville, Vice President of Supply Chain, Toyota Motor Europe

Simon Dudley, JLR circle

Simon Dudley, Director of Transformation, JLR

Birgit Fuchs Round

Birgit Fuchs, Vice President Supply Chain Automotive, Infineon

Thilo Seliger

Thilo Seliger, Director of Engineering Europe, Airspace

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Learn how major automotive manufacturers and suppliers are adapting skills, tools and organisations to build an agile work culture and respond to a new data-centric environment. Hear a keynote on Toyota's strategic supply chain focus, and join a panel discussion on matching supply chain teams and leaders to industry transformation

Within the new digital logistics and supply chain eco-system, where demand-driven organisations have to respond to customer requirements in a shorter timeframe than before, there needs to be a focus not just on the technology, but on workforce agility.

Keynote - Transforming Toyota's supply chain into a strategic leader

We kickoff with a keynote from Toyota's JC Deville on how the OEM is enhancing skills, tools and processes across its European supply chain operations to be more resilient, sustainable and innovative. He will focus on the way that supply chain management employees and leaders need to develop to manage ongoing industry transformation.

A panel of experts from other OEMs and suppliers, including JLR and Infineon, will join to discuss requirements for creating an agile workforce and how to nurture a working environment that is nimble enough to respond to changes in a data-centric organisation, create a cultural mindset based on openness and better communication, whilst giving teams the right leadership, tools and decision-making powers. They will also explore how manufacturers and logistics providers can bring an agile approach from their IT teams into their logistics operations, supporting more flexibility and creativity, as well as a readiness to adapt and change.


10:45 – 11:15 CET

Networking, refreshments and exhibition visit


11:15 – 12:15 CET

Session 3: Competitive advantage – accelerating supply chain decision making


SPEAKERS

Rene deist Round

Dr René Deist, Chief Digital Officer, ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Pieterjan Landuyt

Pieterjan Landuyt, Head of Supply Chain Management and Procurement Digital, Volvo Cars

Ronald Kleijwegt round

Ronald Kleijwegt, CEO, Vinturas

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

How automotive supply chain experts can leverage the value of data to gain competitive advantage across its supply chain and operations, including a keynote from ZF CDO René Deist on how data can generate gold for companies

Turning the huge volume of data in automotive logistics and supply chains into actionable intelligence, which assist and even automate decisions, will be a significant differentiator in the performance of many automotive manufacturers. To ensure the fast and efficient use of data, automotive OEMs and suppliers need to standardise it, analyse it effectively and use the right tools to uncover value. They must then ensure that information supports the enterprise in taking early and informed decisions, as well as to optimise and automate more processes across the value chain.

Keynote - Mining the next gold for corporates: Data

The session starts with a keynote from ZF's Dr. René Deist. At this decisive point of the transformation of the automotive industry, it becomes crucial for automotive manufacturers like ZF to leverage the value of data for its competitive advantage in supply chain and operations, unlock efficiency and take advantage of technologies such as generative AI. Learn more on how this is achieved through maximum standardisation, a strong cloud strategy, data products and active citizen development.

After the keynote, hear from a panel of experts including Volvo Cars and Vinturas on how they have used data strategies, business process software and other tools to improve enterprise efficiency and support more predictive supply chain and manufacturing planning. As OEMs, suppliers and logistics providers connect information across their supply chains to provide decision makers with the right visibility to make these decisions, they are using advanced tools, software and processes to achieve then, including data analytics, as well as business process management and simulation. Increasingly, supply chain experts will combine these tools to AI and machine learning to see the patterns and possibilities that humans alone cannot.


12:15 – 13:15 CET

Session 4: Sharing healthy and trusted data


SPEAKERS

Frank Goeller Round

Frank Göller, Head of Digital Production & Processes, Volkswagen Group, and Vice President Internationalisation, Catena-X

Birgit Boss round

Dr Birgit Boss, Senior Expert Digital Twins and Standardization, Bosch, and Board Member, Industrial Digital Twin Association (IDTA)

Alev Kirazli Round

Dr Alev Kirazli-Cipolla, Lead Digital Production Ecosystem, Volkswagen Group, and Lead Internationalization Committee, Catena-X

Lars baumann round

Lars Bäumann, Ambassador China, International Data Spaces Association

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Accelerating digital transformation, better communication, agility and resilience through improved data governance and exchange across the supply chain, including a keynote from Volkswagen Group on how it is working with Catena-X to increase data standards and transparency.

A key perquisite of a more digitised supply chain is the use and sharing of data – or more accurately healthy, trusted data, not stale unreliable data. Using data effectively can lead to stakeholders having a more complete picture of the supply chain, giving better predictability, and fewer blind spots; which in turn allows for faster and more effective decision-making, less disruption, more visibility and the ability to achieve more predictive planning across the supply chain. However, since data resides in multiple siloed platforms, over physical and digital assets, it can be a challenge to get to grips with it in any meaningful way. Compound that with the sheer amount of data continuously being generated, and a variety of different standards and protocols for how it is shared, and the idea of a data-driven supply chain can seem a thankless, even impossible task.

Keynote - Catena-X: The first open and collaborative ecosystem

We begin with a keynote from Volkswagen Group and partners on the key role that data standardisation will play in resilient supply chain, and applications in use in Europe and increasingly across the world, too.

In the panel that follows, experts from Volkswagen and Bosch will explore how to overcome interoperability challenges, legacy systems and ownership and trust issues. Questions around data governance, protocols and standards as well as data usage within a digitised supply chain will also be explored, and you will learn about use cases and strategies to implement at scale.


13:15 – 14:15 CET

Lunch, networking and exhibition visit


14:15 – 15:00 CET

Session 5: Embedding digitalisation


SPEAKERS

Gisela Linge round

Dr Gisela Linge, Vice President Global Logistics, Autoliv

Gabriel Werner round

Gabriel Werner, Vice President of Manufacturing, Blue Yonder

Julian Schulcz (1)

Julian Schulcz, Chief Operating Officer, 4flow

MODERATOR
Riad Mannan, Content Producer, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Developing and implementing a supply chain digital transformation programme

Whilst the trajectory is towards a fully digitised automotive logistics and supply chain, it cannot happen in a single step, nor can it happen in a silo. The pace of technological change and associated benefits and risk must be considered before an effective digital transformation strategy can be formed.

The process itself must be managed properly to avoid problems during transition and after implementation, whether integrating TMS software, or transforming entire backbone systems across plants and the supply chain, such as ERP, MES and S&OP. Whether it’s a lack of focus around organisational change and strategy, a lack of expertise or skills, internal resistance to buy-in, budget constraints or the ROI, a digital transformation programme must consider the key challenges within the organisation. OEMs and their supply partners also need to have a clear, collaborative strategy that can help integrate digitization across the value chain, rather than duplicating silos.

During this session, hear from panellists about how OEMs and tier suppliers could establish goals, timescales, responsibilities and required resources when developing and implementing a digital programme, transforming capacity planning and enterprise resource planning in the process.


15:00 – 15:30 CET

Session 6: Fireside Chat: Balancing connectivity and cybersecurity


SPEAKERS

Ekaterina Serban (1)

Ekaterina Serban, Head of Cybersecurity and Privacy, Bosch

MODERATOR
Riad Mannan, Content Producer, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

Protecting the digital supply chain through enhanced cyber-security measures

More connectivity across automotive supply chain and logistics also creates more risk layers, from industrial espionage, IP risk or cyberattacks. The increased sharing of data across all stakeholders over multiple platforms will inevitably create vulnerabilities across the network. The global nature of a supply chain and the extended reach into Tier-N suppliers have also increased the number of entry points for an attacker.

The consequences of a cyberattack include massive network disruptions, loss of sensitive data, and financial losses. Because such a threat is likely to be aimed at the weakest part of the supply chain, it is important that there is ‘end-to-end’ protection and prevention, and not just within a siloed system. Creating this complete layer of cybersecurity is an immense challenge for all stakeholders as they have to carry out risk assessments on a regular basis, considering software and hardware risks, and install systems, not just within their own organisation, but in all the other organisations in their network.

In this fireside chat, Bosch's Head of Cybersecurity and Privacy, Ekaterina Serban, discusses how the Tier-1 is working to protect its supply chain end-to-end, and prevent malicious cyberattacks. Learn about the potential routes to protection, what the prerequisites are and how to achieve a balance between connectivity and cybersecurity.


15:30 – 16:00 CET

Networking, refreshments and exhibition visit


16:00 – 17:15 CET

Session 7: Managing total lifecycle complexity and end-to-end digitalisation


SPEAKERS

Paulina Chmielarz round

Paulina Chmielarz, Industrial Operations Digital and Innovation Director, JLR

Alexandre Lerma round

Alexandre Lerma, Manager of Logistics, Customer Driven Supply Chain, SEAT

Diego Mallada

Diego Mallada, CIO for Digitalisation, Gestamp

MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

As OEMs launch next-gen products and transform operations to achieve Industry 4.0 levels of efficiency and connectivity, an end-to-end view of the supply chain and product lifecycle will be a strategic advantage. Hear how major OEMs and suppliers are transforming systems and processes to achieve these goals across supply chain and logistics, including keynotes from JLR and Gestamp.

The transformation to electric, connected and sustainable vehicles must today be matched by parallel transformation across the industrial enterprise, including new strategies to manage complexity, speed up time to market and manage change across the supply chain, different divisions, and from concept to launch to end-of-life. More manufacturers and partners are turning to digitalisation to improve this development and change management process, and how it interfaces across logistics, production and customer service.

Keynote - How JLR will manage total product lifecycle across the supply chain

We start with a keynote on how JLR's digital transformation across enterprise systems, including ERP and product lifecycle management (PLM) is helping the OEM to manage fast changes in the automotive supply chain, from engineering and software to changing bills of material, supply and production locations, to cost and time efficiency.

Keynote - Gestamp's digital strategies for modern supply chain management: An Industry 4.0 perspective

We will next hear from Gestamp on how it is tranforming its end to end supply chain and logistics processes including achieving great transparency, complexity management, automation and sustainability.

Finally, our final panel of JLR, Gestamp and SEAT will explore end-to-end digital supply chain strategies. They will share insights on integrating product, purchasing, supply chain, logistics, digital planning tools, digital control tower management and advanced software, such as PLM, S&OP and more. You’ll also understand more about the partnership and collaboration required and enabled – from engineering products and supply chains in parallel, to sharing product and production plans at early stages across suppliers and providers.


17:15 – 17:30 CET

Closing remarks and key takeaways from the conference


MODERATOR
Christopher Ludwig, Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Logistics & Ultima Media

17:30 – 19:30 CET

Conference drinks reception