Digitalisation & Cyber Security Conference - roundup & thankyou

Digitalisation & Cyber Security Conference – roundup & thankyou

NEPIC’s Digitalisation and Cyber Security Conference once again returned to Hardwick hall this week.

The event brought together leading manufacturers and innovative solution providers to demonstrate how the North East region is embracing digitalisation and protecting itself from cyber attack.

Our fantastic line-up of speakers showcased digital solutions to accelerate growth and create business opportunities within the chemical, process and pharmaceutical sectors.

The packed agenda was complimented by exhibition stands from companies across the NEPIC membership.

The conference was kicked off by Harry Mann, who gave an introduction to Labman Automation, manufacturers of custom robotic, instrument and software solutions for many industrial, laboratory and medical applications.

Paul Armstrong of Womble Bond Dickinson, then talked us through how to regulate the Internet of “vulnerable” things.

Paul is a lawyer and chartered company secretary specializing in technology, commercial and corporate matters, with 20 years’ experience gained in various leading law firms, corporations and universities.

Ben Bennett, CEO of Luminous Group discussed Reality Capture and the Industrial Metaverse.

The Luminous Group has developed a suite of complementary solutions that help large manufacturing organisations across the energy and petrochemical sector harness the power of these new technologies.

This was followed by Managing Director of SyntheSys, Mark Williamson, who presented on the basics of systems thinking and its applicability to the complex systems-of-systems found in a typical process or petrochemical facility.

Dr Jennifer Thompson of Industrial Technology Systems (ITS) then led us through Digital Transformation – Practicalities of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the regulated industries.

Jennifer has over 20 years’ experience in pharmaceutical regulatory compliance in the UK, Europe and the USA with large corporates and smaller companies.

The next part of our conference was a panel discussion outlining what regional support is on offer to help companies to make the most of digital technologies, with speakers from MadeSmarterUK, the Industrial Digitalisation Technology Centre (IDTC) at Teesside University and Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Practice (AMAP), at the University of Sunderland.

Next up we enjoyed a joint presentation from Anna Bainbridge & Patrick Short, Mitsubishi Chemical, detailing the implementation of The Connected Worker project at Mitsubishi Chemical Speciality Polymers & Resins.

Our final session of the day included talks from Andy Tonner of GSK who have recently finished construction and of a £100m Aseptic liquid fill, Biopharm manufacture and fill finish facility at the Barnard Castle site. Sherif Essa, ABB Energy Industries discussing real life examples of data analytics Improving product reliability. And Ian Gemski, Tekgem, who took us through the details of a major cyber security attack, that had dramatic consequences for
the process industry supplying renewable energy for up to 7.5 million.