The future of the industry takes front and centre at London's Manufacturing Matters Conference

Exhibitors at the annual Manufacturing Matters Conference, RBC Place, October 3, 2024 (Bailey Shakyaver/CTV News London)

Participants representing over 500 companies gathered at RBC Place in London on Thursday for the annual Manufacturing Matters Conference.

London Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Kapil Lakhotia shared his excitement with CTV, “This is our annual Manufacturing Matters conference, the largest gathering of manufacturing companies in southwestern Ontario. We've got 800 plus attendees here today to talk about various things that are changing within the industry.”

Over 50 exhibitors showcased what London has to offer in the manufacturing sector, from educators, to suppliers and innovators.

Conference Attendee Ray Givens of Givens Engineering said that the event is an annual one for him, “Really. It's, it's inspiring… You got your head to the grindstone. You're you're totally occupied in your own little problems. Every day you come to an event like this, you talk to a lot of people. You listen to the big stories, and you start thinking bigger… that’s what I’m really here for”.

Lakhotia said that manufacturing continues to be a key driver in the local economy, “ [with] over 500 companies that employ 35,000 people in the London and broader region. This is an area that's well poised for growth as well. As you know, we have attracted several large manufacturing companies over the last couple of years.”

Advanced manufacturing offers over 35,000 jobs to London and the surrounding area.

Attendees and exhibitors alike said that the conference was a great way to get excited about the industry’s momentum.

Konrad Konnerth, Founder and President of exhibitor Connexio said that the growth in the industry is all the more reason to prioritize networking events like the Manufacturing Matters Conference. “We're seeing a lot of growth in advanced manufacturing and robotics… manufacturing is actually our bread and butter that is growing leaps and bounds. And it's great that so many new manufacturing companies are coming to London that all need our support.”

The importance of investing in local manufacturing can’t be understated, said Lakhotia, “The health of our advanced manufacturing sector is critical. It has a huge spinoff effect throughout our economy in terms of supply chains, retail, hospitality services, businesses and so much more.”