Q&A: What did we think of the Smart Factory Expo 2024?

Last week our Smart Industry team headed to Birmingham for the Smart Factory Expo. 

Here's what our Associate Director Kim had to say about the event…  

What were the highlights? 

KW: Immersing ourselves in the industry we work in! It's great to engage with leading experts and listen to the inspiring talks on how they're shaping the future of manufacturing.  

Who did you meet? 

KW: Events are always such a good opportunity to meet with our existing clients, as well as new people! When we partner with companies on their growth journey it's not about transactional recruitment support, we want to build strong relationships, understand the journey the company is on and what culture they're looking to build, and help them navigate the talent landscape. We met with some really exciting companies, like AssetMinder, Fluke Reliability, GE Vernova, IFS Ultimo and MESTEC to name just a few! 

What tech caught your eye? 

KW: We all know that a lot of manufacturing organisations struggle with manual operations, disconnected data, and archaic tech systems. So it was great to learn more about how tech companies are staying on top of a lot of new industry trends that are set to revolutionise this. 

Any interesting insight? 

KW: A really clear takeaway for me was that companies know they need to hire, but they don't know what the market looks like when it comes to skills availability any more. They can often fill a job by advertising it online - including the sifting through of irrelevant applications - but they need a true recruitment partner to stay ahead of the curve. This is particularly important with so many start-ups emerging in the space. Companies want to understand the talent landscape, where they can get skills from, what competitors are doing as well as just 'simply' getting the talent they need. 

Any final thoughts? 

KW: Smart Factory Expo is always a great event. We're looking forward to the next one already, and in the meantime we'll be continuing to collaborate with our existing customers on supporting them through their next stages of growth. And if you fancy working with us then get in touch!
 
Growing your team this year? Get in touch with Kim on kimberley.wellen@fmctalent.com or +44 (0) 7825 571 875