The Food & Beverage processing industry is going through a phase of redefining its production and management models. Companies in the sector operate in a context characterised by high volatility in energy costs, fluctuations in the supply of agricultural raw materials, reduced operating margins and increasingly stringent quality and safety standards.
In this scenario, technological innovation can no longer be limited to isolated interventions on individual machines, but must evolve towards an integrated vision of the processing plant, in which process automation, data traceability and artificial intelligence combine to ensure sustainability and efficiency.
To analyse the levers of this transition and understand how to transform innovation into measurable value, the Agrifood Insight Summit – Processes, data, AI for the future of the agri-food supply chain, promoted by Quin and QGS, will be held on 24 September at BOOM in Osteria Grande (Bologna).
Register for the Agrifood Insight Summit
From line data to AI-driven decisions
The modernisation of the industrial plant does not end with the hardware efficiency of the machine, but requires a fluid connection between the factory floor and the management systems.
The introduction of MES (Manufacturing Execution System) systems allows production lines to communicate directly with ERP platforms and S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) tools, overcoming the historical fragmentation of information.
A concrete example of this data-driven integration will be presented at the Agrifood Insight Summit by Alberto Spinelli (Logistics and S&OP Manager of Latteria Soresina) and Stefano Rigonat (Delivery Director of Quin), who will illustrate the path taken by the Cremona cooperative to govern demand, production planning and the level of customer service.
By integrating statistical algorithms and Demand Sensing models into its forecasting processes, Latteria Soresina has improved its ability to promptly detect changes in demand and update forecasts in the short term. This has made it possible to reduce order cuts, better manage seasonal peaks and limit overstocking, improving the alignment between demand and operational planning.
Agrifood: the supply chain and technologies take centre stage
For plant managers, operations directors and quality and food technology managers, the summit is an opportunity to assess the technologies that drive the sector’s competitiveness and discuss the state of the supply chain.
Francesco De Carolis, Co-Founder of FoodHub, will focus on the level of digital maturity of agri-food companies, shedding light on the opportunities for the supply chain to evolve.
Pietro Mauro, Director of the Fruitimprese Association, in dialogue with Dario Colombo of Tecniche Nuove, will draw attention to the challenges of the supply chain, in terms of digitalisation, competitiveness and operations in and with foreign markets.
Germano Fogolin, CEO of QGS, and Raffaella Agazzani, Head of Finance and Control at Gruppo Bonifiche Ferraresi, will testify to the value of innovation for the economic and financial management of the supply chain.
Simone Zerbinati, President of the IV and V Gamma Group of Unione Italiana Food, will speak in a Talk dedicated to the trends that are transforming the convenience and fresh ready meal sector.
The “Radici Incontra” round table will see Patrick Gerlich (Bayer Crop Science Italia), Romina Roccasalvo (Next To Business), Marco Polastri (CNH), Elisa Cugini (Confcooperative Agroalimentare e Pesca Emilia-Romagna) and Daniele Piva (Conserve Italia) discuss the synergies between machines, data, logistics, processes and sustainability.
Agrifood Insight Summit: networking to drive growth in the sector
The Agrifood Insight Summit will therefore offer answers to the needs of those who have to combine product quality, business continuity and economic sustainability.
The day will end at 6:30 pm with a networking session open to participants.
Places for the event at BOOM (Osteria Grande, Bologna) are limited.
You can register by filling out the form on the official page:
