Digitalisation is changing the way manufacturers operate, but knowing where to start can be one of the biggest challenges.

That was the thinking behind the Manufacturing Resilience Forum: Digitalisation Live, held at Platform, Leeds on 1^st October 2026 as part of Leeds Digital Festival.

Following the success of our Manufacturing Resilience Forum in March, we brought the manufacturing community together again for a half-day event focused on making digitalisation more accessible. The programme combined real-world manufacturer experiences, practical workshops and expert discussions, giving attendees the opportunity to learn, share ideas and make valuable connections.

Bringing the Right People Together

A successful industry event starts with the right people in the room. We brought together manufacturers, technology specialists and industry experts to explore digitalisation from different perspectives.

The programme opened with a welcome from Jamie Ollivere, CEO at RTC North, followed by a keynote from John Cook, Founder of Waypoint North.

Three manufacturers then shared their own digitalisation journeys through a series of lightning talks. Emma Chapman from ECS-UK, Alan Halliday from SARAS and James Talbot from Great Balls of Flour gave attendees an insight into their experiences, demonstrating how businesses of different sizes and sectors are approaching digital change.

Making Digitalisation Practical

We wanted attendees to leave with practical ideas they could take back to their businesses, not just a list of new technologies to consider.

Two workshops formed a key part of the programme. Ben Geldeard and the team from Vensis led Map Your Digital Gaps: A Practical Audit of Your Operations, while Tom Wilson from Razor delivered Build Your Digital Roadmap: From Today to 2027. Both sessions encouraged attendees to think about their current operations and identify opportunities to move forward.

The programme also explored the human side of digital transformation through a panel discussion chaired by Dorrien Peters, Partner at Schofield Sweeney. Panellists Andrew Walton (ACS Steel), Helen Kenyon (Arville) and Amanda Mclaren shared perspectives on the role of people, culture and change when adopting new ways of working.

To round off the content, Jessica Farrow, Head of Communications at Halston B2B, explored AEO and GEO and the future of manufacturers’ online visibility.

Building Strong Industry Partnerships

Four sponsors supported the event, helping bring together relevant expertise and insight.

RTC North supported as headline sponsors and sponsored the lightning talks, with Vensis, Schofield Sweeney and Razor sponsoring individual sessions.

Working with industry partners is an important part of delivering events like MRF. It allows us to bring specialist knowledge into the room, create opportunities for collaboration and give attendees access to a wider network of expertise.

Creating Space for Conversations

Networking was built into the programme throughout the day, from arrival and the morning break through to lunch.

With 35 attendees, including 21 from manufacturing businesses, the event created opportunities for manufacturers to connect with technology providers, ask questions and share experiences with others facing similar challenges.

Alongside the structured sessions, these conversations were an important part of the experience. We wanted MRF Digitalisation Live to be a space where people could build relationships and continue discussions long after the event had finished.

The Results

MRF Digitalisation Live brought together 35 attendees, 12 speakers and four sponsors, with strong engagement across LinkedIn generating 7,273 impressions.

More importantly, it created opportunities for manufacturers to learn from one another, explore practical approaches to digitalisation and connect with organisations that could support their next steps.

For Halston B2B, it was another opportunity to bring our understanding of the manufacturing sector together with our experience in event strategy, promotion and delivery.

Good events create more than an audience. They create conversations, relationships and opportunities that continue long after the day itself.

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