Presenting the 24th Annual ARC Industry Forum
Driving Digital Transformation in Industry and Cities

February 3-6, 2020 - Orlando, Florida

 Breaking Down Cultural and Organizational Barriers to Digital Transformation

As we learned from multiple end user presentations during the 24th annual ARC Industry Forum, despite some initial false starts and shaky implementations, digital transformation is now beginning to deliver tangible benefits in plants, factories, infrastructure, and municipalities around the world.

ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020

Once again this year, the Forum kicked off with a low-key Super Bowl Party Sunday evening.  A full day of cybersecurity and other workshops followed on Monday, along with the annual meeting of the Digital Transformation Council (DTC). Several suppliers also made some very interesting press announcements.  The theme of this year’s Forum “Driving Digital Transformation in Industry and Cities,” resonated well with participants.  This included the many end users planning or already working to transform their organizations with data and new digital technologies.

More than 850 Attendees, 250 Companies, and 55 Sessions

At the Tuesday morning general session, ARC Advisory Group senior analyst, Harry Forbes, summarized the event by the numbers: more than 850 attendees representing 250 different companies from 20 countries, and 55 sessions and workshops spanning six different topical tracks. Harry also made it a point to identify and thank the Forum’s 75 corporate and media sponsors, who help make this annual event possible.  These included Platinum sponsor, Microsoft; and Global Sponsors, Bentley and Siemens.  The long list of other sponsors included industry-leading technology suppliers spanning the OT, ET, and IT worlds, including several cybersecurity suppliers.

Andy Chatha at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020Andy Chatha, ARC’s Founder and CEO, then set the stage for the keynote presenters.  “For many years now, we’ve been trying to bring the separate information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), and engineering technology (OT) groups together.  Now, for the first time, we’re going to start the Forum with a talk by senior IT and OT executives from a leading global company who have been working together closely to break down traditional organizational silos.”  With that, Andy introduced Peter Holicki, Sr. Vice President, Operations, Manufacturing & Engineering, and EHS at Dow; and Melanie Kalmar, Dow’s Corp. VP, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Digital Officer. 

Dow Breaks Down Traditional Organizational Silos

The ensuing, often entertaining, back-and-forth talk provided us with first-hand insights into the traditional disconnects, differing priorities, and cultural divides between  OT/ET and IT organizations, respectively, and how Dow overcame these to enable the company to move forward on its digital transformation journey.  As we learned, when both Mr. Holicki and Ms. Kalmar started out at Dow, Operations had no link to or understanding of the IT group, and Operations was a largely unknown entity to IT.  This helps illustrate the cultural barriers and functional disconnects between different groups that’s still prevalent across much of industry and infrastructure.

As we learned, Dow’s digital strategy is to move from simply being a chemical company that “does digital,” to become a digital developer of new materials.  Corporate management’s mandate for Dow to become a digital company sparked Mr. Holicki and Ms. Kalmar’s efforts to break down the silos between their organizations.  This would enable them to tap into the respective domain knowledge resident in both groups so they could work together more effectively to solve business and operational problems.

Melanie Kalmar and Peter Holicki at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020“It just made sense to break down the barriers between the two groups,” Ms. Kalmar said.  “We always thought Operations needed more discipline, but as we learned more about that group, we gained new understanding of how site-to-site operational differences called for a more custom approach than we were used to in the IT world. ”  To this, Mr. Holicki added, “OT and IT speak different languages.  Also, while Operations are dispersed across sites, IT tends to be more centralized.”

The company’s Manufacturing 4.0 initiative revolves around the three pillars of customers, employees, and improving the way work gets done.  Mr. Holicki explained that for Manufacturing 4.0 to succeed, he would need help from Melanie’s IT and digital experts.  In particular, he clearly saw that his team needed new digital tools to improve turnarounds.  According to Mr. Holicki, “We had to look at the work processes and break down the silos to be able to work together to solve problems.“  

“Without cooperation, we would have missed opportunities and be more exposed to cyber risk,” Ms. Kalmar explained.  Trust is key.  We challenged the normal way of doing things.  The biggest surprise to me is that it didn’t take a lot to get the other leaders on board.” 

“If I had to do something different, it would have been to get my people out into Operations sooner,” Ms. Kalmar said.  “Also at first, rather than seeing what Manufacturing really needed, we allowed our budget to be a crutch.  Eventually, we began to focus on the things that could really ‘move the needle.’  But we know that our journey will never be over and we have to keep working together.  We also know that we will continue to evolve with an influx of new skills.   IT and OT roles will continue to cross over and we have to become more agile.”

Shaping the Future of Production at Audi

Dr. Henning Löser, Head of the Audi Production Lab, began his keynote address with: “A lot of you know Audi for its beautiful cars; I’m from the ‘dark side’ of production.”  While much of that production is centered in Germany, Audi also has quite a few production sites across the world.  With a global workforce of approximately 91,500 people, the company produced almost two million Audi-branded automobiles in 2018.

Henning Loeser at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020Dr. Löser went on to explain that while the company is set up for high-volume production, it strives for stability.  This led to a dilemma.  “We want to shape the future of production by being innovative, but production is very structural by its nature and production groups tend to be very conservative.”  To resolve this dilemma, the company founded the Audi Production Lab (P-Lab) in 2012.

According to Dr. Löser, the Audi P-Lab is intended to be the “zipper” that brings together the tightly organized and stable world of production, with the creative and fast-moving innovation world.  The P-Lab combines the best of both: the speed and creative spirit needed for innovation, plus the structure and stability needed for production.  Dr. Löser stressed that it does so by networking the company’s expertise, rather than networking organizations.  According to Dr. Löser, “Trying out something new often involved breaking the rules.  The P-Lab provides a safe space to do that.”  

Dr. Löser described a P-Lab proof-of-concept project conducted in conjunction with Intel that connects production data, quality measurements, and process knowledge to help the company get more value from its data.  The POC involved using managed predictive analytics to improve the company’s spot-welding operations in its body assembly shops (which make about 5,000 spot welds per car). .  The success of the POC has encouraged the company to start rolling out predictive analytics for spot welding to its production sites.

But the challenge didn’t end there.  Once Audi began deploying and integrating the algorithms into standardized production environments, it had to determine how to best train its maintenance people to be able to take advantage of them; not a trivial challenge.

Executive Panel Discussion Provides Further Insights

The Tuesday Morning general session was followed by a panel discussion on the above topics with executives from both the technology supplier and technology end user communities.  Representing the former were Christine Boles from Intel and John Kovac from Microsoft.  Panel participants from the user side were Billy Bardin from Dow, Henning Löser from Audi, and Don Bartusiak from ExxonMobil Research & Engineering.  Andy Chatha moderated the discussion.

Christine Boles of Intel at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020    John Kovac of Microsoft at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020

The panelists delved further into relevant topics such as the cultural/workforce challenges of industrial digital transformation and approaches for justifying and rolling out new digitally enabled technologies. Cybersecurity also came up multiple times, with several panelists expressing confidence that their respective organizations have been paying adequate attention to cybersecurity in recent years, but that was not necessarily the case for smaller companies with lesser resources.

Executive Panel Session at ARC Industry Forum Orlando 2020

In response to a question from the audience about the role of digital twins, both Mr. Bartusiak and Mr. Bardin commented that you can’t address any question about digital twins without first defining what you mean by the term.  In the process industries, for example, most processes are already rigorously modeled and simulated for engineering purposes.  Dr. Löser also stressed that domain knowledge is critical when building digital twins.

In their closing comments, Mr. Bardin mentioned that it’s important to focus on what you want to accomplish, rather than the technology itself; Dr. Löser added that you should look at the technology from both directions to help solve both new and existing problems; and Mr. Bartusiak commented that “The stars are aligned right now when it comes to creating a state change in how we use technology.” 

The panel discussion was followed by three full days of topical sessions and networking opportunities, including an enjoyable Wednesday evening reception at nearby Universal CityWalk, hosted by Microsoft, just one of the Forum’s many corporate, association, and media sponsors.
 


 

Forum Programs

21st Century Operations: Where IT, OT, and ET Converge

 

it-ot-et-convergence

Leading industrial companies are actively engaged in transformation programs that will reshape their production operations to be more integrated, responsive, and optimized to meet business and customer needs.  Realizing these innovations requires an understanding of the emerging 21st century operations ecosystem and how it interacts with business, engineering, supply chain, and other organizations.  Today's connected environments surface machine data that was heretofore unavailable, and so enable new business models.   New systems may monitor the assets, and new actors may interact with the assets in new ways.  Industrial plant operations, typically siloed and fairly isolated today, will be reshaped as the core of a 21st century industrial production operations ecosystem.  A similar evolution is taking place for field operations - such as mining or agriculture.  In other cases, such as automotive, where the assets operate in public spaces and both the assets and ecosystems are evolving quickly, other factors come into play. 

In 21st century production operations, work is accomplished with a combination of internal and external actors (such as asset manufacturers, 3rd party machine monitoring services, spare parts suppliers, etc.), putting new demands on data requirements and cybersecurity strategies.  New types of production systems (such as additive manufactuiring) and new types of data are being generated (from wearables, vision systems, machine health sensors, etc.).  And digital twins and machine learning systems can work at various levels to optimize the overall system in synchrony with the needs of customers and business operations. 

An important enabler for this  innovation in industrial companies is the convergence of IT (Information Technology at the enterprise level), OT (Operations Technology, the information and automation technologies employed in the plant), and ET (Engineering Technology, the newer technologies that create virtual models).  IT/OT/ET convergence is among the drivers of the digital transformation that leading companies are embarking upon.  A wide range of technologies, such as Ethernet/Wi-Fi, virtualization, cloud, SaaS, analytics, Big Data, mobile, social, modeling, augmented reality, machine learning, remote monitoring, and digital twin are now being employed in industrial operations to improve operating performance, create a virtual environment, or introduce the Industrial Internet of Things.  But the big payoff comes when companies begin to operate in new, collaborative ways across the whole of the enterprise.

This program features speakers talking about moving to 21st century operating models, and how they utilized the IT/OT/ET enablers of digitization and innovation to improve performance in their production operations and throughout their organizations.

AI and Machine Learning

Most industrial companies still tend to make decisions based on habitual ways of doing things, tribal knowledge, rules-of-thumb, and the opinions of in-house experts.  But leading companies are moving to an information-driven culture and business model in which all decisions are made based on analysis of operations and business process data.  Throughout the organization, these companies employ software to collect, contextualize, visualize, and analyze data to gain new insights.  The common question is, “What does the data tell us?”  Armed with new insights, organizations can anticipate changes and drive better business results.  

It is clear that the use of analytics in industrial companies is growing rapidly.  With the industrial space becoming much more dynamic, manufacturers are turning to advanced analytics and machine learning to support predictive and prescriptive solutions.   More companies are pursuing analytics solutions and more employees throughout the enterprise want more and better decision tools.  And the increasing focus on Smart Manufacturing, Industrie 4.0 (I4.0), and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is driving demand for predictive maintenance and operating performance improvement solutions, which rely on advanced analytics.

This program will: 

  • Cut through the confusion surrounding 'analytics' in the industrial space
  • Provide a useful conceptual framework for differentiating modern analytics platforms from previous approaches
  • Highlight new technologies, platforms, architectures, and processes
  • Present case studies and examples from early adopters of new analytics systems
  • Provide industrial companies the information they need to begin their own analytics journey
Asset Performance Management

Asset Performance Management incorporates Industrial IoT (IIoT) and new analytics solutions like machine learning.  It uses information from production management, control systems, and asset management applications to provide new opportunities to optimize asset availability and operational performance.  This optimization goes beyond functional silos and occurs between silos where significant inefficiency, waste, and sometimes dysfunction often reside. 

Balancing the objectives of operations for on-time delivery, volume, and quality with those of maintenance for asset availability, longevity, and reliability requires sharing information and harmonizing these objectives with the goals of the enterprise.  New information technologies provide functionality to intensify cross-functional collaboration, business process improvements, and higher levels of performance to achieve asset performance management excellence. 

The ability to interact with equipment – like a variety of devices on a single site, or widely dispersed machines – presents new opportunities for industrial companies, utilities, and equipment suppliers.  These networks provide a new “connected ecosystem” of equipment manufacturers, systems integrators, and end users.  Some manufacturers and utilities have begun adopting these technologies.

Those attending this Asset Performance Management program will learn what was successful, and gain insights into what is next.  The objective is to make fact-based decisions using reliable information that aligns with the organization’s objectives.  An APM strategy helps ensure the best possible returns on capital investments over the lifecycle of the asset.  If you are involved in operations, maintenance, or industrial IT, you will want to attend these program sessions.

Automation Innovations

We have entered a period of intense innovation in industrial automation.  In the areas of high value-added manufacturing there is growing global competition.  Countries with developed economies want to maintain and grow their existing competitive advantages and support their exporting industries.  Countries with developing economies want to improve their competitiveness as well.

This competition is, in part, taking the form of national initiatives to improve manufacturing competitiveness.  These initiatives are found in Germany, the US, Japan, Korea, and China.  In the US the Industrial Internet Consortium has formed. Platform Industrie 4.0 is the German initiative; the “4.0” referring to a 4th industrial revolution (following steam, mass production, and IT).  This can be thought of as a set of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital, and biological worlds, and impacting all disciplines, economies and industries.

Some of the topics that will be covered in the sessions for this program include:

Devices that will use the future 2‐wire Ethernet standard now in development by the IEEE 802.3cg committee. This 2019 standard will enable high speed communication to process field devices over distances as long as 1 kM.

The Open Process Automation Forum:  The Latest Update
The Open Group’s Open Process Automation Forum is noteworthy for several reasons.  First, because of its genesis within ExxonMobil, a leading international oil company with a long reputation for operational excellence.  Second, because the products of this program will be technologically quite different from the process automation systems used today.  Third, because the value chain envisioned for this program is also quite different from the way the process automation market works today.  The latest developments in this initiative will be presented and discussed.

Industrial Automation and the Industrie 4.0/Industrial Internet Initiatives
What will be the impact on manufacturing and automation of these major national initiatives?  How will the process industries, discrete manufacturers, and automation suppliers adapt and change their products in response to these programs?  What are thought leaders in Europe and North America doing now and planning for the next few years? End users will present the current programs for rapid integration of skid-mounted process systems, based on the Module Type Package (MTP) initiative of the NAMUR group in Europe. Also, European end users will discuss their pilot work with the future 2‐wire “single pair Ethernet” standard now in development by the IEEE 802.3cg committee. This 2019 standard will enable high speed communication to process field devices over distances as long as 1 kM.

Blockchain for Industry

 

Industrial applications for blockchain technology have emerged for sharing immutable data to reduce costs and grow revenue.  ARC Advisory Group has identified and reviewed 28 different industrial applications globally involving proof of concept trials and pilot consortia.  The primary objective and the associated portion of the consortia focused on that objective are:

  • Automated document sharing to replace email, fax, and phone calls with fewer errors and increased speed and lower cost of trade transactions – 29%
  • Improving supply chain visibility particularly for recalls in food & beverage or reverse logistics in pharmaceutical to reduce costs and avoid the negative impact on revenue – 25%
  • Trust selling that verifies the commodity’s origin for increased price, margin, and revenue – 25%

A new type of blockchain – private and permissioned – has recently been developed to overcome the transaction delays encountered with the version used for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.  This relatively new development has enabled applications in industry. 

Blockchain Replaces Central Silos and Manual Processes for Improved Visibility and Workflow

Blockchain technology has proven to provide clear business benefits for organizations involved in:

  • Trade transactions
  • Supply chain execution
  • Ethically sourced minerals
  • Counterfeit parts identification and prevention

Those involved in the aerospace, automotive, chemical, food & beverage, logistics, mining, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, and power industries will find this blockchain program insightful and beneficial.

Cybersecurity and Safety

Challenges continue to grow for people responsible for the cybersecurity and safety of operational technology.   Broad OT deployments are expanding the use cases requiring protection.  Resource shortages and siloed efforts are undermining the effectiveness of established defenses.  Blurring boundaries between IT, OT, and IoT are increasing the need for more integrated, collaborative cybersecurity strategies.  Attacks on protective equipment have raised the urgency of close coordination between cybersecurity and safety efforts.  

Digital Twins and Connected Smart Machines

Autonomy and intelligence embedded pervasively in automation equipment is one of the key attributes to realization of connected smart machinery.  Connected smart machinery is important in virtually every application imaginable, but is even more valuable in cases where there is limited communications.  Machinery that analyzes and compresses large data sets are essential to ensuring that the data traffic on the Internet does not overwhelm the system or data can be analyzed local to the device.  The connected smart machine will require not just more sensors, but also more intelligent sensors.  Sensors must perform more sophisticated signal processing “at the edge” to provide accurate signals that filter out the noise before it gets to the automation system. 

In this program, machine builders employing intelligent sensors into the machinery to perform complex condition monitoring algorithms into automation systems will be highlighted.  Key topics for discussion include:

  • Creating new maintenance service revenue streams for machine builders
  • Development of equipment protection algorithms that increase resilience of machinery to stay operational for much longer periods of time.
  • Adaptive control algorithms allowing systems to operate over a wider range.
  • Predictive condition monitoring systems that use real-time control algorithms to provide a new level of maintenance information.
  • Exploring the potential of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to combine the benefits of multivariate analysis, predictive modeling, and inferential information to preempt abnormal situations.
Digital Workforce and Culture

The digital transformation of industry, infrastructure, and cities is under way, with new business processes, services, and models being pursued. This energy and investment is a rational response by organizations to digital economies that present new and very real opportunities. When combined appropriately, data and technology can provide competitive advantage, that – in some cases – enables organizations to leapfrog their peers.

Yet, when planning or executing this transformation, what is often missing is a focus on the human element of digital transformation.  Where do people fit in? The changes that digital transformation will have on the workforce are likely to be the most far-reaching and sustained effects.  Not only will digital transformation change the number of people needed to do work, it will rewrite how that work gets. Those going through digital transformation quickly realize that managing the human element can be the most difficult aspect.  However, as they work through their journey, people begin to better understand the human-centric benefits of digital transformation.  Enabled by technology, the workforce will become more empowered to identify challenges, adapt to circumstances, and find new ways to solve problems.

This program will:

  • Discuss digital transformation through the lens of people, examining the changes in the workforce as organizations become increasingly data-enabled and service-based.
  • Identify the common human-centered challenges to successful digital transformation.
  • Provide a framework for creating an organizational strategy and culture for digital change  
  • Present case studies of how companies organized people and work cultures around digital-first thinking
  • Outline how to evolve customer relationships and engagement for a digital world
Industrial IoT Platforms, Edge Infrastructure, and End Devices

 

Industrial Internet platforms are emerging as pivotal, value-added components of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture.  These platforms add incremental value by functioning not only as the glue linking connected industrial devices to higher level performance-enhancing applications, but also as the execution environment for the applications themselves.

iot-platform-iot-edge-model-500px.gifIndustrial Internet platforms play an integral role in analytics, big data, remote asset monitoring, performance management, decision support, universal visualization, and the value chains for connected products and products-as-a-service.  The ability of these applications to access, analyze, and process industrial data is central to the IIoT value proposition. 

Industrial Internet platforms architecturally reside between intelligent devices and higher levels of the enterprise architecture.  Device connectivity platforms monitor, collect, process, and transmit data from a variety of intelligent sensors, devices, machines, products, and other assets to higher levels of the architecture, while analytics, big data, machine learning, and numerous other applications that deliver incremental process improvements typically reside in enterprise-level platforms.

The IoT network edge has emerged as a primary vehicle for delivering incremental business value via internet-enabled business strategies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industrie 4.0 (I4.0), and Smart Cities and Infrastructure. 

Escalating demands to feed information from data-rich intelligent edge devices to the cloud is one of the most pressing issues facing OT and IT professionals in the era of internet-enabled business strategies.  Standard options include support of common API or protocols, but cloud-based agents themselves are migrating into network edge devices.  These agents are increasingly viewed as not only vehicles for closer edge-to-cloud integration, but also as platforms for edge computing applications that execute locally, offloading processing from the cloud and providing enhanced security and closer to real time performance. 

This program will highlight current and prospective demands on both network edge infrastructure, such as gateways, routers, and switches, as well as smart end devices that function as edge nodes in the IoT architecture.  In addition, this program will look at the central role of Industrial Internet platforms in the emerging Industrial Internet of Things and how to use them to achieve incremental business benefit.

Smart Cities

 

The concept of a smart city is not new, but it is still nascent and the definition remains quite heterogeneous.  Broadly, a smart city is connected, intelligent, and optimized by a municipality to reduce costs, increase safety, attract investment, be sustainable, and enhance livability.  To get there will require smart governance, the education of a smart workforce and smart citizens, the digital transformation of assets, and the deployment of sensor networks with ubiquitous multimodal connectivity. 

smart-cities-key-sectors-400px.gifAs computing power, bandwidth, and the cost of microprocessor electronics and sensors all approach zero, the ability for municipalities to deploy massive wide-area networks of intelligent devices is slowly becoming reality.  Smart cities present tremendous opportunities for industrial IoT vendors, but the technical challenges, vast number of players in this ecosystem, and the fact that it bridges private, public, and consumer realms makes navigating and succeeding in this market a challenge.  Cybersecurity, connectivity, and working with municipal bureaucracy remain the biggest challenges, but other obstacles include exponential data volume growth, data cleansing speed, the need to go from cloud to edge architectures, quantifying results, interoperability, and human fears/resistance to transformational change such as AI.

ARC has identified 12 key smart city application sectors:  Smart Transportation, Smart Utilities, Smart Environment, Smart Public Safety and Security, Smart Governance, Smart Buildings, Smart Education, Smart Health, Smart Retail and Logistics, Smart Manufacturing and Construction, Smart Finance and Banking, and Smart Amenities.  This program will feature expert panels and case study presentations showcasing successful deployments of key smart city IIoT technologies.  Topics for discussion include:

  • Cyber-secure smart city ecosystems
  • Smart utilities:  Self-healing grids and smart water networks
  • Intelligent transportation and traffic systems
  • Moving from centralized to edge architectures
  • Lighting networks as the IoT backbone for smart cities and buildings
  • Advanced visualization including Digital Twin & AR/MR/VR platforms for cities and buildings
  • Machine learning and artificial intelligence for cities and buildings
  • Leading-edge enablement technologies such as SD-WAN, HD video analytics, and extreme data processing at the edge
     

Featured Speakers

The following executives are featured speakers at the Forum.

Peter Holicki

Sr. Vice President, Operations, Manufacturing & Engineering
Environment, Health & Safety Operations
Dow

Peter HolickiPeter is a member of Dow’s Executive Leadership Team responsible for executing the company strategy, the Operations Team accountable for the company’s productivity and performance, and the Operations Leadership Team responsible for leading Dow’s global manufacturing and engineering organization worldwide.  Peter joined Dow in 1987 in Stade, Germany, holding a variety of roles.  In 1997, he obtained responsibility for leading the Dow King's Lynn manufacturing site in the UK. Shortly thereafter, he became the production leader for the Aromatic Derivatives Complex in Terneuzen, The Netherlands.  Ensuing roles prior to his current position include Business Director for Europe, Middle East and Latin America; Site Leader of Dow Terneuzen; Global Manufacturing Vice President of Hydrocarbons; Vice President of Manufacturing & Engineering for Europe, Middle East & Africa; Vice President of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Corporate Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering and Environment, Health & Safety Operations.

Melanie Kalmar

Corporate Vice President
Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer
Dow

Melanie KalmarMelanie drives the global strategy for information technology and digital capabilities to advance Dow’s growth and business strategies.  She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Dow’s most senior executive committee that sets the strategic direction, defines priorities, and is accountable for delivering enterprise-level results.  Melanie is a Director for Dorinco Reinsurance Company, Vice President of the Michigan Council for Women in Technology Foundation, and a member of the Dean’s Council for Central Michigan University’s School of Business.  She also holds several leadership roles within Dow focused on driving the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy and priorities, including membership in the President’s Inclusion Council and executive sponsor of PRIME, the employee resource group focused on engaging the 50+ population.  

Christine Boles

Vice President, Internet of Things Group
General Manager, Industrial Solutions Division
Intel

Christine BolesChristine’s organization is responsible for Intel’s Industrial IOT business within the manufacturing, energy, logistics, and commercial building segments, including the product and ecosystem strategies for this rapidly evolving space.  She joined Intel in 1992 as an application engineer for 16 bit microcontrollers.  For 25 years, she has led development, delivery, and the enabling of customers and ecosystems for Intel based solutions in many managerial roles.  These solutions span a broad range of embedded and internet of things applications across many industries, including communications, storage, retail, imaging, and commercial buildings.

Michael Carroll

Vice President of Innovation
Georgia-Pacific

Michael CarrollMichael joined Georgia-Pacific in 2010 to focus his technological and entrepreneurial talents on innovation and leadership.  Prior to that he and a partner formed McTech Group, a company focused on innovative products for the building products and construction industry.  Founded in 2005, the company brought to market several patented products that are now licensed worldwide.  In addition to his Executive Vice President responsibilities, Michael formed a Joint Venture designed to sell consumer “DIY” products to big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.  These products are currently licensed for manufacture within the US. Previous positions include Director of Operations at Riverwood International, CEO of North and South American Operations at Shepherd, and Principal Change Agent at Mead Paper.

Jane Arnold

Executive Vice President, Global Process Control Technology
Covestro

Jane ArnoldJane is an Executive Vice President and the Head of Global Process Control Technology at Covestro.  Her responsibilities include all systems, instrumentation, and electrical power that run Covestro production facilities at over 30 sites globally.  Her major focus is to improve digitalization in manufacturing with a goal of developing a cognitive digital plant.  Jane has over 25 years of experience in process control technology.  She started with Bayer MaterialScience in 2005 in Baytown, Texas.  There she moved to various levels of technical and management positions.  Jane relocated to the Covestro Headquarters in Leverkusen Germany in 2017.

Mandy Huth

Vice President of Cybersecurity
Kohler

Mandy HuthMandy runs Kohler’s global security strategy and is the executive champion of their global data privacy program.  She was previously Director of Information Security at Smarsh, a provider of archiving and compliance solutions, where she ran security strategy and execution, including product security and securing corporate DevOps. Mandy joined Smarsh after building a security organization responsible for IT and OT from the ground up for Belden. She served as Head of Security and Technology at Tripwire (acquired by Belden), responsible for securing Tripwire’s internal technologies and solutions. Mandy has over 15 years’ experience, developed in Hewlett Packard’s managed services division, leading the infrastructure and logical security of its data centers. Mandy holds multiple certifications including CISSP and GSLC and is an active member with ISSA, ISACA, and Infragard. She has delivered advisory services in information security, IT governance, IT process analysis, and information risk management.

Jim Beilstein

Vice President, Advanced Manufacturing
Owens Corning

Jim BeilsteinJim has responsibility for the technology of manufacturing operations, process development, capital equipment, and engineering sourcing as well as project delivery (capital deployment).  In addition, he is a member of the Operations Leadership Council and the Science & Technology Leadership Council, which are enterprise level senior leadership teams focused on the strategy and execution for operations, productivity and organic growth.  Overall, Jim has more than 23 years of experience in manufacturing, information technology, and research and development in increasing leadership roles.  Seventeen of Jim’s 23 years in industry has been with Owens Corning where he established a strong reputation in building strong linkages between business leaders, manufacturing, information technology, and R&D.

Jason Handley

Director, Smart Grid Emerging Technology and Operations
Duke Energy

Jason HandleyJason is a respected utility industry professional with over 20 years of utility experience specializing in smart grid, distributed Intelligence, and operations management. He excels at understanding the increasingly complex utility environment, managing the new digital utility workforce, and delivering on the execution and financials of technology projects. In his current role, Jason identifies and develops new technologies impacting the electrical grid and oversees all of the ongoing operational aspects on new technology pilot projects in Duke Energy’s Smart Grid Emerging Technology group. He has been a strong advocate for grid edge computing, the new OpenFMB™ architecture for machine to machine data exchange, and building in cybersecurity measures into grid edge devices. He and his team are responsible for developing and updating the strategic roadmap for power grid devices and communications at Duke Energy. 

Henning Löser

Head of Audi Production Lab
Audi

Henning LoeserHenning joined Audi in 2004, starting in the area of car development superstructure and changed later on into production development. He has been a member of senior management since 2012. Since November 2014 Henning has worked on Audi’s future vision of the Smart Factory and is the head of the Audi Production-Lab as of January 2016. In the P-Lab he and his team work on the Smart Factory, developing new technologies and production concepts by trying them out and evaluating them in a real production environment. Henning is member of two fields of action of the Audi production strategy: “Innovation” and “Digital Production” and therefore at the center of the definition and development of the Smart Factory. He has given several Keynotes on the subject of the Audi Smart Factory.

List of Executive Speakers

Agenda at a Glance

For complete session details, please view the Forum Agenda.

Monday, February 3 - Pre-Forum Workshops

8:30 AM Workshop Sessions
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Workshop Sessions
2:00 PM Workshop Sessions
3:30 PM Break
4:00 PM Workshop Sessions
6:00 PM Welcome Reception

Tuesday, February 4

8:30 AM Keynote Presentations
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Executive Panel
12:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Concurrent Track Sessions
3:30 PM Break
4:00 PM Concurrent Track Sessions
6:00 PM Evening Reception

Wednesday, February 5

8:30 AM Keynote and Executive Panel
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Concurrent Track Sessions
12:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Concurrent Track Sessions
3:30 PM Break
4:00 PM Concurrent Track Sessions
6:00 PM Evening Reception

Thursday, February 6

8:30 AM Concurrent Track Sessions
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Concurrent Track Sessions
12:00 PM Forum Ends with Boxed Lunches

Attendee Perspectives

 

It was an honor and pleasure to be invited to speak at the ARC event.  I was impressed with the level of knowledge I was exposed to at this conference; this will become an annual event for me.  A sincere thank you to ARC for organizing a "WOW" event.

Marty Martin
Director, Process Control Technology
Air Liquide

ARC Advisory Group industry events are extremely valuable (to Saudi Aramco).  ARC is the barometer for our industry.

Abdullah Al-Khalifah
Senior Engineering Consultant
Saudi Aramco

 

For me, since I’m from the pharma industry, coming to the ARC forum gives me a chance to interact with folks in like roles from different industries. It’s been very valuable for me to bring ideas and new connections back to my company and apply them to our business.

Kevin Fulton
Director of Engineering
Eli Lilly

It was a high honor for me to participate [at ARC's Forum] on behalf of the City of Orlando!

Charles Ramdatt
Director, Smart Cities and Special Projects
City of Orlando

Innovations Showcase

 

New industry solutions are on display at the Innovations Showcase.  The Showcase provides an excellent opportunity for executives to assess the potential for emerging applications in production management, interoperability, virtual manufacturing, process improvement, asset management, operations management, supply chain synchronization, and more.  Exhibits have application scenarios for attendees to see how emerging technologies are applied to help solve issues across all industries.

The Showcase is open during the Monday Evening Reception and during breakfasts, breaks, and lunches.  It is held adjacent to the forum where refreshments are served.

0217showcase-composite-global-gold

 

Location

renaissance-exterior-crsm.jpgThe Forum is held at the Renaissance Orlando Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
6677 Sea Harbor Drive
Orlando, Florida  32821
renaissanceseaworldorlando.com

Note:  Please make your hotel reservations by contacting the hotel directly.  Beware of any offers from third parties selling room reservations pretending to be calling on behalf of ARC or the hotel.

The Renaissance is just a short shuttle or taxi ride from the most popular Orlando attractions and within easy access of Orlando airports. Hotel amenities include complimentary 24 hour fitness center use; transportation to SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Universal Studios Orlando based on shuttle schedule; and public area wireless Internet.

Orlando Visiting Information

Please contact Orlando's Visitor Information Center at 407-363-5874, www.visitorlando.com, for information regarding current events in Orlando.  For discounted attractions in Orlando, please visit Orlando Convention Aid website.  Their on-line travel guide offers discounts to restaurants, golf, attractions, nightlife, shopping, and more, including making dinner reservations for you.

Previous Attendees

The following companies have attended recent ARC forums:

3M
ABB
Accenture
Aera Energy
AGCO Corporation
Air Liquide
Air Products & Chemicals
Akzo Nobel
Albmarle
Alcoa
Alliance Pipeline
AMEC Natural Resources
American Axle & Manufacturing
Anglo American
Apache Energy
Applied Materials
Aramco Services
ArcelorMittal Dofasco
Archer Daniels Midland
Arthrex Manufacturing
Ashland
Aspen Technology
AT&T Business
Atos
AVEVA
Axiall
Bahrain Petroleum
Baker Hughes
Barilla
BASF
Bayer MaterialScience
Bechtel
Bedrock Automation
Bentley Systems
BHP Billiton
Blackrock
Boeing
Boise Cascade
BorgWarner
Bosch Rexroth
BP
Brady
Braskem
Bristol Myers Squibb
British American Tobacco
Buckeye Partners
Cardinal Ethanol
Cambell Soup
Cargill
Celanese Chemicals
Cenovus Energy
CF Industries
CH Robinson Worldwide
Chevron
Cincinnati Water Works
Chiyoda
Church & Dwight
Cisco Systems
City of Des Moines
City of Lakeland
City of Orlando
Coca-Cola
Comau
Conagra Foods
Connacher Oil and Gas
ConocoPhillips
Consumers Energy
Continental Mills
Cooper Industries
Corning
Country Maid
Covestro
CSIA
CSX
Cummins
Dakota Gasification
Danaher
Danfoss Drives
Dassault Systems
DC Water and Sewer Authority
Diageo
Del Monte Foods
Dell
Devon Energy
Dolphin Energy
Dominion Energy
Dow
DTE Energy
Duke Energy
DuPont
Eastman Chemical
Eaton
Eli LIlly
Elkay Manufacturing
Emerson Automation Solutions
Endress+Hauser
EnerNOC
EQUATE Petrochemical
Equinor
Ergon Refining
Evonik
ExxonMobil
Festo
Fieldcomm Group
Flint Hills Resources
Flowserve
Ford Motor
Freeport McMoran
Gallus Pharmaceuticals
GE
General Dynamics
General Mills
General Motors
Georgia-Pacific
GlaxoSmithKline
Goodrich Petroleum
Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Goss International
Greater Cincinnati Water Works
Halliburton
Hatch
HCL Technologies
Heineken Supply Chain
Hexagon
HIMA
Hirschmann Automation & Control
Hitachi
Hitachi Vantara
Honda
Honeywell
Huntsman
Husky Energy
IBM
Idaho National Laboratory
IFS
Independent Belgian Refinery
Inductive Automation
Infor
Infosys
InSinkErator
Intel
International Paper
Invistics
ISA
Iscar Metals
JDA Software
JGC
JHP Pharmaceuticals
John Deere
Johnson & Johnson
Joy Mining Machinery
Kennametal
Keystone Foods
Kimberly-Clark
Koch Industries
Kohler
Kollmorgen
Kongsberg
Kraft Foods
KUKA
L&T Infotech
Lafarge
Lakeland Companies
Lockheed Martin
Lopez Foods
Lowe's
LyondellBasell
M.G. Bryan Equipment
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Marathon Petroleum
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
Mazak
Mead O'Brien
Merck
MESA
Met-Mex Penoles
Metso
Microsoft
MillerCoors
Millennium Pharmaceuticals
Minnesota Power
Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitutoyo America 
Mohawk Fine Papers
Momentive Specialty Chemicals
Morgan Stanley
Mori Seiki
Motiva Enterprises
Nalco Champion
NAMUR
Nestle
Nexen
Newmont Goldcorp
NIST
North West Redwater Partnership
NOVA Chemicals
NRG Energy
Nucor Steel
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Okuma America
Omron
OPC Foundation
OpenText
Opto 22
Oracle
Orlando Utilities Commission
OSIsoft
Owens Corning
Pacific Gas & Electric
Pacific Northwest National Lab
Pall Corporation
Palmer Foundry
Panasonic
Panduit
Paper Converting Machine
Parker Hannifin
Patti Engineering
PEECO
PepsiCo
Petro Rabigh
Petrobras
Petronas
Pfizer
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Phoenix Contact
Pioneer Natural Resources
Praxair
Procter & Gamble
PTC
Public Service Co. of New Mexico
Quiet Logistics
Radix
Red Arrow Logistics
Reichhold
Reliance Industries
Rockwell Automation
Rolls-Royce
Ryder System
Sabic
Sandia National Laboratories
Sanofi Pasteur
SAP
Sasol
Saudi Aramco
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
Schlumberger
Schneider Electric
Schnitzer Steel
Sekuworks
Shell
Siemens 
Smurfit-Stone Container
Software Toolbox
Sony Electronics
Southern Company
Stanley Aeroscout Industrial
Styron
SugarCreek
Suncor Energy
Tata Consultancy Services
Telenav
Tennessee Valley Authority
TetraPak
ThyssenKrupp
TOTAL
Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Trinseo
Unilever
U.S. Corrugated
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
Universal Parks & Resorts
Vale
Valero Energy
Vallourec & Mannesmann do Brasil
Voith
Walmart
Walt Disney World
Wells Fargo
Whirlpool
Williams Companies
Wipro Technologies
Worley Parsons
Xerox
Xstrata
Yanbu National Petrochemical
Yaskawa
Yokogawa
YPF