A REMAP Recap: World Manufacturing Forum

Part one of two

REMAP’s CEO Loretta Renard recently had the opportunity to attend the World Manufacturing Forum in Milan. This annual event is a favourite of the REMAP team as it brings together leading experts from diverse areas of the manufacturing realm to discuss the most significant trends impacting and shaping the global manufacturing landscape.   This year’s theme: New Perspectives for the Future of Manufacturing: Outlook for 2030.

In this blog series, Renard shares REMAP’s recap of two of the most informative sessions she attended during last week’s event.  

Geopolitical Shifts: Global Trade Tipping Points for Manufacturing & Supply Chains

This panel certainly helped to set the context for the state of global manufacturing today – and in the near future. An informative session featuring experts from MTDG, Oracle and Tecnalia, this panel focused on how the global manufacturing landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace – driven by geopolitical tensions, economic shifts, and the demand for resilient supply chains – and how geopolitical shifts require heightened preparedness for inevitable tipping points in manufacturing and global trade.  

In a world characterized by VUCA—volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—strategies such as reshoring, near-shoring, and green-shoring are emerging as critical solutions because they offer manufacturers an opportunity to strengthen local supply chains, reduce carbon footprints, and build operational resilience. That said, the panelists were also quick to flag the downside of reshoring, namely, the ripple effects it can create that disrupt global supply chains and limit equitable growth.

Faced with the challenge of adapting to trade disputes, tariff escalations, and supply chain disruptions, the panelists also discussed how today’s manufacturers must embrace new technologies to stay resilient.  In terms of the adoption of technology, the panel reinforced what everyone (including REMAP) is thinking – that AI is quickly proving itself to be a vital tool for manufacturers who want to enhance resilience and adapt to geopolitical realities. From increasing transparency in the value chain to enabling predictive analytics, AI enables greater efficiency and cost savings and enhances the ability to collaborate across borders, ultimately creating a more democratic supply chain. By investing in AI, manufacturers can better understand their supply networks, forecast disruptions, and streamline operations.

Yet while AI and reshoring present solutions to local problems, the panelists cautioned that manufacturers must also maintain strong trade relationships with allies and invest in emerging markets in order to drive more inclusive global trade – a model in which developing economies also have the opportunity to reduce emissions and contribute to global manufacturing competitiveness.

“It was clear from this informative discussion that while manufacturers may benefit from both collaboration and competition, a hybrid approach is required to navigate the geopolitical challenges ahead,” summarized Renard. “The future of global trade will hinge on their ability to embrace resilience, transparency, and long-term collaboration.”

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