Manufacturing Innovation Summit

Invest Barrie, along with its partners, has hosted the Manufacturing Innovation Summit six times since its inception in 2017. For the 2024 event, Invest Barrie refreshed the summit by revamping the format and introducing new, innovative elements to attract a more targeted audience.

In 2024, the organizing team decided to relocate the event to a local manufacturing facility and include tours of additional nearby manufacturers, providing attendees with a more interactive learning experience. The objective was to increase awareness of key employers in the city, encourage additional local B2B activity and provide the event sponsors exposure to our manufacturers, away from a conference hall, to encourage meaningful discussions with target audiences.

The Manufacturing Innovation Summit took attendees “behind the factory doors,” with tours and breakout sessions hosted at three Barrie manufacturers to showcase local talent and allow participants to hear case studies and industry insights, and see what is being produced right in Barrie’s backyard. Barrie Transit buses were used to transport attendees between locations and included local musical entertainment while on board for an added cultural twist. Participants ended the afternoon with lunch and networking opportunities as the locations host, Environmental Systems Corporation, showcased their new facility.

The goal of the new format was to have 50 attendees at the event, allowing for a more intimate, targeted audience. By hosting in a manufacturing facility, the space availability was a challenge, but staff defined and targeted who would truly benefit from the event. The event was successful with 60 participants, and partners were extremely happy with the new format and the chance to tour some of Barrie’s leading manufacturing facilities.

The target audience was manufacturers in Simcoe County, Grey/Bruce, Muskoka, York Region and the GTA. The content was relevant to manufacturers, providing them with the opportunity to explore the latest trends in manufacturing and industry; gain insights from industry leaders and experts, network with like-minded professionals, discover innovative solutions and breakthrough technologies, and tour state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

Coordinating the multi-location event required more effort and on-site staff resources versus hosting it at a single location. It was important to ensure that breakout sessions and tours at each site stayed on schedule since everyone would reconvene at the main host location for lunch and networking. Despite the added logistical requirements, the experience was highly valuable for participants, resulting in a successful, high-quality event that was well worth the extra effort.

The 2024 Manufacturing Innovation Summit: Behind the Factory Doors, was a dynamic, curated event celebrating manufacturing across Barrie and the greater region. The organizers took an already successful event to a new level by adding uniqueness, multiple event location and a more hands-on experience.

Event website:
https://www.investbarrie.ca/whats-new/events/manufacturing-innovation-summit

Event Highlight Video:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/esc—environmental-systems-corporation_investbarrie-barriemanufacturing-innovation-ugcPost-7212173085402091521-8ViE/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop