Highlights from the Manufacturing Innovation as a Driver of the Future Conference in Zagreb

The third edition of the Manufacturing Innovation as a Driver of the Future conference saw an impressive turnout this year, sparking high demand for additional tickets. This key event aimed to bring together influential players from the Croatian manufacturing sector and those invested in the future of industrial development. Organised by EIT Manufacturing Hub Croatia, part of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, the conference fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas.

Held on 23 and 24 October 2024, the event welcomed over 130 participants from the local innovation ecosystem, including production companies, startups, and academia. Attendees gathered in Zagreb  to exchange experiences, acquire new knowledge and skills through interesting lectures, panel discussions and workshops.

On Wednesday, 23 October, Industry Day brought together representatives from over 40 manufacturing companies across Croatia, along with participants from startups and academia.

The programme started with a lecture by Andreas Gams, Ecosystem and Key Account Manager, EIT Manufacturing East, who presented opportunities for growth and digitisation of Croatian manufacturing companies through the support of the EIT Manufacturing community. Gams highlighted key aspects of digital transformation, citing examples of successful projects and opportunities for further development of Croatian industry through cooperation with EIT Manufacturing.

Andreas Gams, Ecosystem and Key Account Manager at EIT Manufacturing East presenting available opportunities.

After the introductory lecture, a panel discussion was held under the title “Digitalisation and innovations in production supported by the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3).”

Panelists Domagoj Šarić, Head of the Department for Economic Competitiveness of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce; Goran Licul, Value Stream Manager of the Carel company, and Igor Karšaj, Vice Dean for cientific work and cooperation with the economy of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, shared their experiences on the impact of digitisation on production processes and the potential of smart specialisation in the development of industrial capacities. The panel was moderated by Miro Hegedić, PhD, EIT Community Officer, who emphasized the importance of connecting the industry with the entire innovation ecosystem to encourage sustainable development.

This was followed by a lecture by Marijana Topić Domić, CEO of the CADCAM group, who spoke about the concept of the digital twin and its role in Industry 5.0. The lecture was focused on the application of digital technologies to create virtual replicas of physical production processes, with the aim of optimising production and improving efficiency.

David Burcar, Founder and Director of Vanado d.o.o., held a lecture entitled “Smart factory – reality or myth?” where he presented practical examples of the implementation of smart solutions in production facilities and the challenges faced by factories that want to become smart.

The lecture by Felix Hagelgans of CREFORM Technik GmbH, titled “From Waste to Value – The Power of Lean Manufacturing,” explored lean manufacturing methods that enable waste reduction and efficiency gains. Hagelgans presented concrete examples of how companies can reduce the resources needed for production, while maintaining or increasing the value of the product. After the panel, participants had the opportunity to meet startups from the Partnering for Growth programme, as well as the conference sponsors, 3D grupa and Shimadzu.

The afternoon programme included interactive workshops. Krunoslav Glavač from the CADCAM group led a workshop on dynamic production planning, while Dr. Nenad Drvar from TOPOMATIK d.o.o. and Marko Perić from IZIT d.o.o. organised a workshop on 3D scanning, modeling and printing of polymers and metals. These workshops provided the participants with the opportunity to acquire practical knowledge and new skills applicable in their daily business.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the academic community and brought together representatives of faculties from the entire region and companies interested in cooperation with academic institutions. The possibilities offered by the EIT Manufacturing community to the academy were presented, while the 3D group and Aluflexpack Gmbh presented their possibilities for cooperation with the academy. The results of their current projects and research were shared by representatives of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Split, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Belgrade, the Faculty of Economics at the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek, and the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Zagreb.

The Manufacturing Innovation as a Driver of the Future conference once again proved that innovation and collaboration between industry and the academic community play a key role in the future of the manufacturing sector.

The organisers extend their gratitude to this year’s conference sponsors:

• Conference partner – EIT Manufacturing East;
• Silver sponsor -3D Group;
• Bronze sponsors – JGL and Shimadzu;
• Supporting companies – Autegra, DOK-ING, CADCAM Group, and Vanado.
• Partners in innovation – the Rijeka Development Agency Porin, Enter Koprivnica, and ZICER (Zagreb Innovation Center). LIDER served as the media sponsor for the conference.