The recent Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Conference, held on 13 June 2024, brought together around 100 industry leaders and experts to discuss the future of sustainable manufacturing in Europe. A key highlight was the presentation by EIT Manufacturing South East, titled “The value of EIT Manufacturing pan EU ecosystem driving sustainability and energy transition in European manufacturing.”

The presentation focused on EIT Manufacturing’s role in supporting a thriving European manufacturing landscape. Key topics included:

• Supporting Innovation: EIT Manufacturing’s initiatives to drive innovation, education, and entrepreneurship within the European manufacturing sector.
• Addressing Industry Challenges: Identifying the main obstacles faced by European manufacturers today.
• Enabling Technologies & Workforce Development: Exploring key technologies that will empower future manufacturing, alongside the crucial need for upskilling and reskilling the workforce.
• Funding and Support: Showcasing EIT Manufacturing’s funding opportunities, support services, and success stories to empower businesses.

The conference also delved deeper into these themes, with discussions on:

• Sustainability: Highlighting the importance of EIT Manufacturing’s pan-EU ecosystem in achieving sustainable and energy-efficient manufacturing practices across Europe.
• Innovative Technologies: Featuring practical examples and case studies from industry experts on reducing waste, lowering costs, conserving resources, and adopting renewable energy sources.
• Carbon Neutrality: Exploring solutions for achieving carbon neutrality and implementing closed-loop production processes.

EIT Manufacturing’s initiatives offer valuable support and resources to help businesses navigate this transition and ensure a thriving future for European manufacturing. Goals such as energy efficiency and sustainability do not only stay in paper but services and activities of EIT Manufacturing aim at a better future. How? This was what was presented in the event.