We're excited to be Platinum Sponsor across this years Smart Manufacturing Week 2026, in partnership with The Manufacturer.
At this year's event, Columbus are exhibiting at Smart Factory Expo and Sponsor of the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit.
Featuring two exclusive speaker sessions from our digital experts, roundtable sessions at the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit, and our stand where you can talk 1:1 with our digital advisors about solutions to fit your unique business needs.
Our speaker sessions
-
11:00 | 3 June | Digital Transformation Stage
Speakers:
Toby Mankertz, Manufacturing Industry Director, Columbus
Andy Juarez, VP Opertions, Litehouse FoodsManufacturers are under increasing pressure from tariffs, rising raw material costs, workforce challenges and aging systems. So how do you deliver transformation that actually sticks? In this session, Andy Juarez from Litehouse Foods and Toby Mankertz from Columbus share the story behind Litehouse Foods’ long-term transformation journey and why sustainable success comes from consistently applying the right principles over time, not searching for a “secret sauce”.
Key themes include:
- The challenges facing modern F&B manufacturers
- Aligning purpose, values and operational principles
- Building culture through leadership and change management
- Investing in people through development and onboarding
- Strengthening competitive advantage through quality and service
This session will provide practical insights for manufacturers looking to build resilient organisations capable of adapting, growing and succeeding over the long game.
Find out more about this topic by reading our recent case study here.
-
10:30 | 4 June | AI & Industrial Data Stage
Speakers:
Jack Binnall, Power Platford Lead, Columbus
Sarah Le Gresley, Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, Group Innovation & Sustainability DirectorMichelmersh, Britain’s premium clay brick specialist, joins Columbus to demonstrate how one of the UK’s most traditional industries is being transformed through AI-driven intelligent manufacturing. This session explores how real-time data, connected systems and AI-enabled insight are creating a new model for operational decision-making.
By integrating data across production, energy, quality and maintenance, Michelmersh is shifting from reactive processes to predictive, data-led performance that can improves efficiency, enhanced product quality and measurable ESG outcomes.
Through practical examples, discover how intelligent manufacturing is delivering real-time visibility, enabling faster decisions and empowering teams by showing how technology, data and people are combining to reshape the future of sustainable manufacturing.
There's No Secret Sauce: How Litehouse is Transforming by Playing the Long Game
11:00 | 3 June | Digital Transformation Stage
Speakers:
Toby Mankertz, Manufacturing Industry Director, Columbus
Andy Juarez, VP Opertions, Litehouse Foods
Manufacturers are under increasing pressure from tariffs, rising raw material costs, workforce challenges and aging systems. So how do you deliver transformation that actually sticks? In this session, Andy Juarez from Litehouse Foods and Toby Mankertz from Columbus share the story behind Litehouse Foods’ long-term transformation journey and why sustainable success comes from consistently applying the right principles over time, not searching for a “secret sauce”.
Key themes include:
- The challenges facing modern F&B manufacturers
- Aligning purpose, values and operational principles
- Building culture through leadership and change management
- Investing in people through development and onboarding
- Strengthening competitive advantage through quality and service
This session will provide practical insights for manufacturers looking to build resilient organisations capable of adapting, growing and succeeding over the long game.
Find out more about this topic by reading our recent case study here.
Turning Data into Decarbonisation: the Digital Factory Story
10:30 | 4 June | AI & Industrial Data Stage
Speakers:
Jack Binnall, Power Platford Lead, Columbus
Sarah Le Gresley, Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, Group Innovation & Sustainability Director
Michelmersh, Britain’s premium clay brick specialist, joins Columbus to demonstrate how one of the UK’s most traditional industries is being transformed through AI-driven intelligent manufacturing. This session explores how real-time data, connected systems and AI-enabled insight are creating a new model for operational decision-making.
By integrating data across production, energy, quality and maintenance, Michelmersh is shifting from reactive processes to predictive, data-led performance that can improves efficiency, enhanced product quality and measurable ESG outcomes.
Through practical examples, discover how intelligent manufacturing is delivering real-time visibility, enabling faster decisions and empowering teams by showing how technology, data and people are combining to reshape the future of sustainable manufacturing.
We help manufacturers optimise operations and drive growth with technology that delivers results.
Today’s manufacturers are under pressure to reduce production times and costs while still delivering the quality their customers expect. At the same time, digital buyers demand a seamless, personalised experience – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.
At Columbus, we bridge the gap between your business needs and the right technology. Specialising in both process and discrete manufacturing, we understand the unique challenges you face and know how to address them with the right digital solutions. We can support you through every step of your digital transformation, helping you use new technologies to optimise processes and maximise value across your manufacturing operations. From shop floor management to distribution and after-sales, we help you drive growth with technology that delivers real results.
Customers
