Metalworking & Manufacturing Expos set record

The Metalworking & Manufacturing Expos (MME) set record attendance levels in 2023. Held in Langley, B.C., Winnipeg, and Drummondville, Que., the events helped connect local manufacturers with machine tool sales, service, and applications support staff.

The Langley MME featured two representatives from Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards: Corey Lutes, director of manufacturing, and Dan Southern, director of workforce development. The two discussed their manufacturing operations and their efforts to improve efficiencies and attract talent to make Seaspan run as effectively as possible.

In Winnipeg, the keynote was Brent Timmerman, vice-president of operations at MacDon Industries. Timmerman started with the company in May 2022, and the operations division has close to 1,400 staff.

The Drummondville event featured Denis St-Yves, director of operations for Siemens Canada, who spoke to the crowd about how industrial automation is driving digital transformations, digital twins, AI, and cloud-based technologies.

“We place a lot of importance on our keynote speakers each year. Finding local manufacturing leaders who can speak about their company’s success and share best practices is key to a successful MME event,” said Show Manager Rob Swan. “This year, our speakers really fit this framework, particularly in Langley and Winnipeg, which had more than 150 people in attendance to hear the manufacturing leaders from Seaspan and MacDon.”

Swan added that he looks forward to the challenge of replicating the success of these speakers in 2024 with other leading local manufacturers.