Media Contacts: Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, barbara@eafocus.com, 248.260.8466; Cynthia Hutchison, Automation Alley, Hutchisonc@automationalley.com;  248.457.3203

TROY, Mich. — September 10, 2018—In a nod to the organization’s growing influence in Industry 4.0, Automation Alley’s Executive Director and CEO, Tom Kelly, has been tapped by the World Economic Forum to moderate its Community Dinner event on Wednesday, September 19, in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China. The event is part of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, a global experience that addresses today’s intertwined global challenges relating to the Fourth Industrial Revolution – economic, political, societal and environmental.  Among the Michigan invitees to the Annual Meeting of the New Champions are Gov. Rick Snyder and Mike Duggan, Mayor of the City of Detroit.

Within the framework of the event, there is a set of sessions dedicated to Advanced Manufacturing/Future of Production/Industry 4.0, including the Community Dinner where Kelly will be moderating. The Community Dinner convenes global CEOs, technology pioneers and leading figures from top organizations across the public, private and academic sectors that are driving targeted efforts to collaboratively transform the manufacturing ecosystem through Industry 4.0.

For almost 50 years, the World Economic Forum has been the catalyst for global initiatives, historic shifts, industry breakthroughs, economic ideas and tens of thousands of projects and collaborations. The Forum’s strategy is to bring together the most relevant leaders from all sectors of global society and identify the best ways to address the world’s most significant challenges. The World Economic Forum’s initiative on the future of manufacturing and production provides a unique global platform for leaders to understand how new technologies will impact the production ecosystem and the implications for business models, jobs, sustainability and the innovation capacity of nations.

As Michigan’s Industry 4.0 knowledge center and the state’s leading technology and manufacturing business association, Automation Alley created the Integr8 Industry 4.0 conference in 2017 to draw global attention to the rapid technological changes taking place in the manufacturing industry and to help companies large and small form action plans for their digital transformation.  A sellout-crowd of 550 attended the inaugural Integr8 event, which returns to Detroit this year on November 14.

“Michigan’s preeminent position in manufacturing and supply chain management compels us to lead the charge for Industry 4.0 transformational initiatives, not only in our state, but internationally as well,” Kelly said. “Automation Alley is privileged to participate in the World Economic Forum’s global conversation on addressing the key challenges and opportunities presented by the smart technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

As previously announced, Helena Leurent, Head of Shaping the Future of Manufacturing and Production and Member of the Executive Committee – World Economic Forum, will present the lunchtime keynote address at Integr8, bringing another global voice to the conference’s focus on the eight core technologies of Industry 4.0: the Industrial Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence, Big Data, cloud computing, cybersecurity, advanced materials and additive manufacturing, and modeling, simulation, visualization and immersion. For registration and sponsorship information on Integr8 and Integr8 Luminate, a strolling dinner and cocktail kick-off reception on November 13 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, visit integr8conference.com.

About The World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does.

Activities are shaped by a unique institutional culture founded on the stakeholder theory, which asserts that an organization is accountable to all parts of society. The institution carefully blends and balances the best of many kinds of organizations, from both the public and private sectors, international organizations and academic institutions.

The World Economic Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

About Automation Alley

Automation Alley is a nonprofit technology and manufacturing business association and Michigan’s Industry 4.0 knowledge center, with a global outlook and a regional focus. We connect industry, academia and government to fuel Michigan’s economy and accelerate innovation. We offer programs and services in business growth, entrepreneurship, talent development, defense and international business, providing resources and knowledge to help our members grow and prosper in the digital age.

The mission of Automation Alley is to position Michigan as a global leader in Industry 4.0 by helping our members increase revenue, reduce costs and think strategically during a time of rapid technological change.

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