May 5-7, 2025 - Sitges (Barcelona), Spain
ARC’s European Industry Forum is part of our successful series of worldwide conferences in Europe, America, and Asia. Participants are invited to attend exclusive presentations and workshops on strategies and case studies from the digital front lines.
Join us for a gathering of innovative companies as we explore the latest industry trends, from platforms and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity, and how these technologies are driving sustainability and digital transformation. Connect with industry leaders, share insights, and discover new opportunities to transform your value chain and drive your business forward.
Don't miss this opportunity to be at the forefront of the next industrial revolution. Learn how to embrace a digital transformation mindset and leverage transformative technologies to evolve your business model, achieve competitive excellence, and integrate sustainability into your core strategies. Become a focused, integrated, digital organization and lead the future of industry.
Forum Topics
ARC industry analysts and other automation experts from the end user and supplier communities will analyze and discuss trends and drivers for the following topics:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Asset Management
- Automation Architectures
- Circular Economy
- Cybersecurity
- Digital Services
- Digital Twin
- Digitalization
- Edge & Cloud Architectures
- Energy Transition
- Industrial Communications
- Operational Excellence
- Sustainability
Featured Speakers
The following executives are featured speakers at the Forum.
Sven Mueller
Project Manager, Edge Cloud 4 Production
Audi AG
Sven began his professional career in logistics planning at Audi in 2014. As part of an innovation project, he developed virtual reality software for the planning process of special load carriers. He holds an M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and is an expert in the field of digitalization and production. From 2020 to 2022, he conducted scoutings for new technologies in production and logistics within the department of technology and innovation management. He implemented several proof of concepts in the areas of 5G, autonomous mobile robots and virtual reality. In his current role as Project Manager Edge Cloud 4 Production he is responsible for the development and rollout of a new software platform and the onboarding/refactoring of applications within the shopfloor IT.
David Pugh
Vice President, Systems & Architecture
Paebbl
David is VP Systems & Architecture at Paebbl where he leads the development of tools and processes that help teams work better, learn faster, and make a positive impact. His teams build systems that connect the physical and digital to solve real-world problems at scale. With a focus on planet-positive solutions, he’s passionate about creating environments where people and technology grow together.
Agenda
Following is the schedule for the Forum. Times and sessions are subject to change. All times are CET (Central European Time).
Monday, May 5
10:00 | UniversalAutomation Annual Membership Assembly (closed door session) Greg Boucaud, UniversalAutomation.org | ||
| 12:00 | Registration and Lunch | ||
| 13:00 | The Path to a Circular Bioeconomy in Europe Marco Pellegrini, CEFIC | ||
| 13:30 | Edge Orchestration at Scale: Seamless Remote Updates for Industrial Machinery Jamal Abdelkhalek, BOBST | ||
| 14:00 | Empowering Self-Directed Teams for Agility & Innovation Michael Farell, West Pharmaceutical Services | ||
| 14:30 | Networking Break | ||
| 15:00 | Discover UniversalAutomation.org: Projects, Use Cases, and Products (15:00 - 18:30) CloVic: Cloud based Virtual Commissioning Environment for Distributed Automation | ||
| 15:30 | Safety and Security Thomas Menze & David Humphrey, ARC Aitor Lejarzegi, Schneider Electric Michael Metzler, Siemens Sander Rotmensen, Siemens Fabio Perna, SSE | Circular Economy Luciano Narcisi & Naresh Surepelly, ARC Franco Antonio Cavadini, Gr3n Recycling David Pugh, Paebbl Ludovic Debuchy, Schneider Electric Victor Gasulla, Schneider Electric | |
| 17:30 | Economic Update Andrew Obin, Bank of America Andre Kukhnin, UB | ||
| 18:00 | Innovation Corner | ||
| 19:00 | Evening Reception | ||
Tuesday, May 6
| 8:00 | Registration and Morning Coffee | ||
| 9:00 | Edge Cloud 4 Production – IT/OT Convergence at Audi Sven Müller, Audi & Oliver Narr, Siemens | ||
| 9:30 | Turning the Built Environment into a Carbon Sink—with Data, Speed, and Universal Automation David Pugh, Paebbl & Domenico Napoli, Schneider Electric | ||
| 10:00 | Networking Break | ||
| 10:30 | Industrial Grade AI Fabian Wanke & Stefan Miksch, ARC Marc de Arias, Companyia d'Aigües de Vilanova i la Geltrú Jan Luyts, Essenscia Neeraj Bansal, HHLA Sky Nikolaus Gaebler, Hitachi Energy Chris Stogner, Schneider Electric Jon Koldo, Siemens Stefan Hild, Spur Insights | Energy Transition Luciano Narcisi & Naresh Surepelly, ARC Willem Hazenberg, Drenthe College Ann Robin, Gradyent John van der Geer, Schneider Electric | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 13:00 | AI Predictive Maintenance: Cybersecurity & Trusted Data Fabian Wanke, Stefan Miksch & Thomas Menze, ARC Franck Honore, Applexion Matthias Gronstedt, HHLA Sky Matthew Dulcey, Pronetiqs Stefan Hild, Spur Insights | Digital Asset Management Constanze Schmitz & Alexey Grechko, ARC Malcolm Jeffers, IAAE Tisha Livingston, Infinite Acres Jeannie Serfontein, Jendamark Maximilian Wagner, VDMA Michael Farell, West Pharmaceutical Services | OPAF Workshop Luciano Narcisi, ARC Michel Teughels, Exxon Mobil Luciano Botto, Nova Smar S/A Jacco Opmeer, Shell Ravindra Jagasia, The Open Group Mark Hammer, Yokogawa |
| 15:00 | Networking Break | ||
| 16:00 | Industrial Data Management Thomas Menze & David Humphrey, ARC John Browett, CLPA Mathieu Cura, Optimistik Ann-Sophie Martin-Tissier, Probayes | Digital Services Constanze Schmitz & Alexey Grechko, ARC Johan Ferket, Bilfinger Jamal Abdelkhalek, BOBST Fuxin Jiao-Kiuru, Immersal Erik Nordmark, ZEDEDA | |
| 17:00 | Plenary Panel Discussion: Autonomous Operations Florian Güldner, ARC Renato Pacheco, Aimirim Valeriy Vyatkin, CloVic Tisha Livingston, Infinite Acres Javier Figueras, Schneider Electric Amir Javanshir, SDA Erik Nordmark, ZEDEDA | ||
| 18:00 | Academic Corner Luciano Narcisi & Sandra Cornejo, ARC Valeriy Vyatkin, Aalto University David Agustin Ripoll, CITCEA-UPC Willem Hazenberg, Drenthe College Eduardo Prieto Araujo, Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya Juan Manuel Escaño, University of Seville Virginia Springer, University of Sidney Robert Harrison, University of Warwick | ||
| 19:30 | Evening Reception | ||
Wednesday, May 7
| 8:00 | Registration and Morning Coffee | |
| 9:00 | A Huge Digital Twin for a Practical Moisture Control: Machine Learning + APC + Data Collection + RTO Renato Pacheco Silva, Aimirim | |
| 9:30 | Out of the Box Integration: Scaling Digital Reality Ecosystem from Asset to Process MIchel Teughels, ExxonMobil | |
| 10:00 | Networking Break | |
| 10:30 | Future Automation Architectures Thomas Menze & David Humphrey, ARC Sven Müller, Audi Oliver Narr, Siemens Roland Wagner, CODESYS Maximilian Wagner, VDMA Alexander Allmendinger, OPC Foundation | Digital Asset Outlook – Quo Vadis? Constanze Schmitz & Alexey Grechko, ARC Michel Teughels, Exxon Mobil Fuxin Jiao-Kiuru, Immersal Tisha Livingston, Infinite Acres Paul Tours, Wolters Kluwer – Enablon Erik Nordmark, ZEDEDA |
| 12:00 | ||
| 12.30 | Forum Ends | |
Attendee Testimonials from Previous Forums
The ARC European Industry Forum in Barcelona was a success! It truly revealed where process control is heading. The event was not just about discussing new topics and themes in the automation industry. It also had great content showing how users can make the change.
We are happy to sponsor the ARC Forum because of the great opportunities to meet other industry professionals and end users. Attending the Forum was a great opportunity to share ideas and learn about best practices and market trends. I can only encourage other companies to attend ARC Forums.
… fantastic presentations! Kind of a mix of future ideas with tensional delivery of them now. Really nice Forum and I think you got a great mix of expertise here.
ARC's Forum in Barcelona was a great opportunity to discuss ABB’s vision for the future of automation and engage with other industry leaders to showcase the building blocks available to build our vision starting now.
ARC’s Forum is an excellent event to gain in-depth knowledge and best practice examples.
The ARC forum is a great opportunity for Voith to learn about benchmarks and upcoming standards and get connected with other IT/OT experts.
“ARC's forum is a very good opportunity to learn much more about the IT/OT transition. We all know the technology is available and we have learned that important success factors are people, culture, and security.
Location
The Forum is held at the Meliã Hotel in Sitges (Barcelona), Spain.
Meliã Sitges
Ms. Eva Roca ([email protected])
Joan Salvat Papasseit, 38
Barcelona - Sitges 08870
Spain
www.melia-sitges.com
Overlooking the Sitges marina and the Costa del Garraf, the Meliã is within easy access of Barcelona international airport and walking distance from the historic center of Sitges. Hotel amenities include complimentary fitness facilities, free WiFi internet in public areas and rooms, and an indoor parking garage.
