The 5th Annual MFGCON 2019 Call for Speakers is now open. We invite manufacturing industry professionals to submit speaking proposals for this year’s conference, to be held November 5-6, 2019 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Photo of Speaker from MFGCON 2018 in Durham

Do you have best practices, real-world examples and expertise to share with your manufacturing peers? This is your opportunity to share your insights, knowledge and experience with an exclusive audience.  The annual conference provides attendees with the opportunity to learn and share best practices and to network with their peers. Although we welcome submissions from consultants or vendors, such proposals will be considered only if co-presenting with a manufacturer client. Co-presenters must be identified at the time of submission in order to be considered.

 

This year’s focus areas are:

Track 1: Talent Development: This track will provide best practices and strategies for recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce. Suggested topics include recruiting and retention, training within industry, project management and time studies, teamwork, knowledge management/onboarding/offboarding, introducing robotics and automation without terrifying your workforce, performance management, managing multigenerational workforce, employee engagement, developing a pipeline or youth apprenticeship models.

 

Track 2:  Optimizing Operations: This track will focus on improving plant floor operations to increase productivity and profit. Topics can include lean manufacturing, six sigma, process improvement, Robotics, automation, Kaizen events, safety, value-stream mapping or quality management systems

 

Track 3: Leading for Success: This track will offer insight as it relates to personal leadership development and career growth. Also, this track will cover the importance of organizational culture. Suggested topics could include leading through change and disruption, leadership development, building the agile organization, leading the lean facility, building a winning culture, transforming your company with new technologies, risk assessment and business continuity, crisis management, developing a value-based company, time management, teamwork or personal advocacy.

 

Track 4: Strategic Growth and Marketing: This track is designed to share best practices related to market expansion, distribution and new product development. Suggested topics include business expansion support, how the Internet of things (IoT) can help your business, the impact of new manufacturing technology/innovations on business growth, using data analytics to grow your business, new product development or diversification, supply chain strategy, how to become a government contractor, global market expansion, using social media to market your company and grow your business, how the new tax laws affect manufacturers or NAFTA impact on manufacturers

If you think you have what it takes to inspire the NC manufacturing community, please submit a proposal before April 12th. Please see below for submission guidelines.

 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

When suggesting a topic, please make sure:

Your content is educational and interesting and attendees can takeaway tips that promise to capture immediate results back at their workplace.  Proposals from consultants and vendors will be considered only if co-presenting with a manufacturing client (must be identified on submission form in order to be considered). Conference sessions are meant to educate attendees on current manufacturing innovations, challenges and trends only. Sales presentations will be not be accepted. If you would like to publicize a product or a service, please contact our events team for information on exhibiting and other vendor opportunities.

We are looking for presentations that:

  •         Are relevant and timely
  •         Include learning styles that engage the audience
  •         Provide practical takeaways and real-world applications that can be implemented  immediately or drive conversations about innovative ways to improve productivity and operations
  •         Are applicable to a broad range of manufacturers


Selection Process

At this time, we are seeking proposals which include the presenters’ names, role, contact information, organization represented, bio and abstract. All submissions must be submitted via the appropriate online submission form at the URLs below.

Please be thoughtful in your proposals. Submissions must be complete. The program committee will evaluate all submissions based on quality and relevance to the focus areas. Sessions are 50 minutes in length: plan for 40 minutes of content plus 5 minutes of Q&A and 5 minutes for introductions. Rooms will be set-up theatre style with podium and screen in front of room. Laptop and projector will be provided along with microphone(s).

Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline (see “Important Dates” below). Where employer, client, or government authorization is needed, it is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain such authorization prior to submitting the final materials.

When you are ready to submit, go to the mfgCON website and select the form that corresponds to your preferred track. You may submit more than one abstract, but we ask that you complete a separate form for each submission.

 

IMPORTANT DATES

Call for Speakers Open:  March 1, 2019

Call for Speakers Closed:  April 12, 2019

Notification of Acceptance: May 1, 2019

Final Presentation Due: October 28, 2019

 

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

Speaker bio

Include a write-up of approximately 100 words about your experience, including the number of years you’ve been involved, the types of projects you’ve been involved in, your primary role in these projects, etc. This bio will appear on the Conference websites and handouts.

 

Benefits of Speaking

Your presentation provides an excellent marketing and business development opportunity by highlighting your company’s leadership, best practices and successes.

Network with industry peers. Opportunity to meet potential customers and vendors.

Industry presenters will receive a complimentary registration to the full conference. Please note that the conference does not underwrite the travel expenses of the presenters.

Your name and company and title of your presentation will be published in the conference program and on the conference website and be featured on social media.

Discounted conference registration rate for your company.

 

SUBMIT NOW