DECISION-MAKING IN REAL TIME

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have long served as the backbone of manufacturing operations, capturing vast quantities of business-critical information across production, supply chains, procurement, and finance.

Yet for many organisations, the challenge is no longer collecting data – it is turning that data into timely, actionable insight.

To address this, Epicor has launched Epicor Prism across the UK and select European markets, introducing a new generation of embedded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities designed specifically for manufacturers and supply chain-intensive industries.

Integrated directly within Epicor Kinetic, the company’s ERP platform, Epicor Prism enables users to interact with live operational data through natural-language conversations, helping organisations move from information gathering to decision-making in real time.

THE EVOLUTION OF ERP

The launch represents a significant milestone in Epicor’s broader Cognitive ERP vision, which aims to transform ERP systems from passive repositories of information into active business partners that support thinking, decision-making, and action.

Manufacturers throughout Europe continue to face mounting pressures to improve productivity, strengthen supply chain resilience, and remain competitive amid workforce shortages and ongoing digital skills gaps.

While ERP investments remain central to these efforts, extracting meaningful insight from increasingly complex datasets often requires specialist expertise that many organisations struggle to access.

By embedding intelligence directly into everyday workflows, Epicor Prism is designed to help close this gap by guiding users through complex operational decisions, regardless of their ERP expertise.

EMBEDDED INTELLIGENCE IN ACTION

At the heart of Epicor Prism is a growing portfolio of AI agents designed to support a wide range of operational activities.

Rather than requiring separate analytics platforms or external AI tools, users can access insights directly within their existing ERP environment, using conversational prompts to analyse information, automate tasks, and initiate actions.

One of the platform’s flagship capabilities is the Epicor Prism Reasoning Agent, which combines live ERP data with supporting documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other business files to deliver contextual recommendations and explanations.

Instead of relying on static reports, users can ask questions such as why a production line is running behind schedule or what factors are contributing to overdue orders and receive responses grounded in real-time operational data.

This contextual understanding helps decision-makers identify root causes faster, improve visibility across operations, and act with greater confidence.

Importantly, Epicor Prism has been designed to operate securely within existing governance frameworks, respecting role-based permissions and maintaining human oversight over critical decisions and actions.

ACCELERATING PRODUCTIVITY

Beyond operational analysis, Epicor Prism also aims to reduce the administrative burden associated with many ERP processes.

The platform currently includes more than 18 pre-built AI agents that address decision-critical workflows across manufacturing and supply chain environments.

These capabilities include translating complex ERP outputs into clear insights, identifying risks and opportunities across supply, demand, and fulfilment networks, and reducing manual effort in sourcing, reporting, compliance, and internal analysis.

The technology can also support employee onboarding and skills development by helping less experienced users navigate ERP systems more effectively through embedded knowledge and guidance.

For technical teams, Epicor Prism Developer for App Studio delivers additional productivity gains by streamlining ERP customisation projects. According to Epicor, the tool reduces the time required to build and test screen customisations by an average of 60 percent, enabling faster delivery without compromising quality.

INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC AI

A key differentiator for Epicor Prism is its industry-specific design.

Unlike generic AI assistants, the platform draws on Epicor’s vertical data ontology, developed through more than five decades of experience serving manufacturing, distribution, building supply, retail, and automotive organisations.

This enables AI agents to interpret information within the context of real operational workflows, combining trusted business data with industry expertise to generate more relevant recommendations and insights.

By embedding AI directly into everyday workflows, Epicor aims to support frontline users with real-time intelligence while ensuring recommendations remain firmly grounded in operational realities.

As manufacturers continue navigating increasingly complex economic and operational environments, the ability to convert data into action quickly and effectively is becoming a critical competitive advantage.

With the European rollout of Epicor Prism, the company is positioning Cognitive ERP as the next stage in the evolution of enterprise software – one where intelligent systems help organisations not only understand their business, but actively improve it.

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Regenerative Agriculture at Scale

As pressure grows on the food and beverage industry to address climate risk, biodiversity loss and supply chain resilience, regenerative agriculture has emerged as one of the sector’s most significant sustainability priorities.

Yet despite widespread commitments, many organisations have struggled with a fundamental challenge: how to consistently implement, measure and verify regenerative agriculture at scale.

The organisation has officially launched its Regenerating Together Programme (RTP), a new industry-wide initiative designed to help food and agriculture businesses move beyond definitions and pilot projects towards practical implementation across global supply chains.

Supported by more than 40 leading food and agriculture companies—including Nestlé, Louis Dreyfus Company, McCain Foods, Carlsberg and Diageo—the programme seeks to provide the frameworks, tools and governance needed to accelerate regenerative agriculture adoption while improving consistency and credibility across the sector.

“A Landmark Moment”

Dionys Forster, Director General of SAI Platform, described the launch as a significant milestone for the sector.

“Today represents a landmark moment for regenerative agriculture and is the result of years of collaboration across the sector. While significant progress has been made in understanding regenerative agriculture entails, the challenge now is implementation at scale.”

“The Regenerating Together Programme offers a pragmatic solution to addressing this challenge by providing the industry with a practical and credible foundation to transition towards more resilient global supply chains.”

Moving Beyond Principles to Practical Implementation

For several years, regenerative agriculture has been one of the most discussed topics in food system sustainability. However, differing definitions and measurement approaches have often created confusion for farmers, food manufacturers and supply chain partners alike.

The Regenerating Together Programme is designed to address that challenge as the initiative is designed to mark a shift from defining regenerative agriculture to enabling its practical implementation. At its core is a revised Regenerating Together framework that provides a four-step process supported by implementation guidance across crop, beef and dairy production systems.

The framework has been developed for use across both large- and small-scale farming operations and is intended to be applicable in all geographies and was developed through collaboration with farmers, agronomists, NGOs, academics and industry stakeholders, reflecting the increasingly multi-stakeholder nature of agricultural sustainability initiatives.

“We Need Practical and Credible Frameworks”

The launch comes at a time when food and beverage businesses are facing mounting environmental and operational pressures.

Climate change, water scarcity, soil degradation and biodiversity loss are increasingly recognised as material business risks that can directly affect agricultural productivity and long-term supply security. At the same time, companies are under growing pressure from investors, regulators and consumers to demonstrate measurable progress against sustainability commitments.

Regenerative agriculture has gained traction because it seeks to address multiple challenges simultaneously by supporting soil health, biodiversity, water management and farm resilience.

However, scaling adoption across complex global supply chains has proven difficult.

The Regenerating Together Programme aims to create greater alignment across the industry by providing a common foundation for implementation and measurement, helping companies track progress while increasing visibility of the outcomes being delivered at farm level.

“Regenerative agriculture shows great potential to strengthen supply chain resilience against climate change while helping improve farmers’ livelihoods,” said Pascal Chapot, VP Head of Agriculture at Nestlé.

“To accelerate adoption, we need practical and credible frameworks that can be consistently applied across the value chain.”

Bringing Verification and Credibility to Regenerative Agriculture

One of the most significant developments within the programme is the introduction of independent verification and benchmarking protocols.

For the first time, the framework includes guidance for third-party verification of regenerative agriculture practices, helping organisations assess progress against a common set of criteria.

For sustainability leaders, this could help address one of the sector’s biggest challenges: demonstrating credible outcomes while reducing confusion caused by multiple competing frameworks and definitions.

The verification component is designed to improve transparency, consistency and trust across value chains while helping businesses benchmark regenerative agriculture efforts more effectively.

As sustainability reporting requirements continue to evolve, robust measurement and verification mechanisms are becoming increasingly important for companies seeking to substantiate environmental claims.

What does RTP Change?

“Over the past decade, significant work has gone into turning regenerative agriculture from an emerging ambition into a practical transition across the food and beverage sector. Companies, farmers, supply chain partners and industry bodies have tested approaches, built knowledge and learned what works. That hard work is now beginning to pay off, with clearer alignment emerging around standards, outcomes and what credible implementation looks like in practice,” said Simon Boas Hoffmeyer
VP, Global Head of Sustainability & ESG at Carlsberg Group.

“The launch of the Regenerating Together Programme (RTP) today signals a shift – not because it introduces a fundamentally new idea, but because it addresses one of the industry’s biggest bottlenecks: the lack of alignment, measurement and practical pathways for implementation at scale.”

A Collaborative Industry Approach

A defining feature of the programme is the breadth of organisations involved in its development.

Beyond corporate support, SAI Platform has worked with environmental and implementation partners including The Nature Conservancy and Earthworm Foundation. The initiative also aligns with wider industry efforts involving organisations such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Regen10 and EIT Food.

These partnerships reflect a growing recognition that transforming food systems will require collaboration across the entire value chain rather than isolated action by individual companies.

The programme itself is the result of more than four years of collaboration, including pilot initiatives spanning 23 production systems across 25 countries.

Keeping Farmers at the Centre

A recurring challenge in agricultural sustainability programmes is ensuring they remain practical for farmers.

SAI Platform says farmers have played a central role in shaping the Regenerating Together Programme, helping ensure the framework remains workable at farm level while avoiding unnecessary administrative complexity.

The programme is designed to support farmer agency by allowing producers to determine which practices and approaches are most relevant to their operations. It also seeks to improve recognition of the value farmers create through regenerative outcomes.

By reducing reporting burdens and increasing visibility of positive environmental performance, the programme aims to make participation more accessible and attractive for producers.

The post “A Landmark Moment for Regenerative Agriculture”: What is SAI Platform’s Regenerating Together Programme? appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

What is Cornerstone?

JLR’s newly unveiled Cornerstone concept vehicle illustrates what that transition could look like in practice.

Developed alongside more than 40 Tier 1 and raw material suppliers, the initiative demonstrates how automakers can embed circularity into vehicle development from the earliest stages—reducing carbon emissions, increasing recycled content and improving the ability to repair, recover and reuse valuable materials.

Rather than a distant concept, the project uses real components and technologies that could inform future production programmes.

Moving Circularity from Strategy to Engineering

The automotive industry has spent years discussing circular economy principles. The challenge has been translating those ambitions into commercially viable engineering solutions and Cornerstone attempts to bridge that gap.

JLR collaborated across its supply network to create 49 more sustainable automotive components, focusing on three objectives :

• Maximising recycled materials
• Increasing the use of bio-based and lower-impact inputs
• Designing components to enable easier repair, disassembly and recycling

The result, according to JLR, delivered more than one tonne of CO₂e savings compared with existing materials and processes, while incorporating almost 140kg of additional recycled material.

By integrating these solutions into a real vehicle bodyshell, the project provides a practical testbed for technologies that could transition into future production vehicles.

Supplier Collaboration Emerges as a Critical Lever

One of the strongest themes emerging from the initiative is the importance of early supplier engagement.

Rather than treating sustainability as a downstream procurement exercise, JLR involved partners throughout development.

The approach reflects a broader shift underway across manufacturing industries, where emissions reductions increasingly depend on collaboration beyond organisational boundaries.

According to the release, suppliers worked alongside JLR’s engineering and industrial operations teams to co-develop solutions spanning multiple material categories and systems.

Key project outcomes:

• 100% closed-loop recycled glass
• De-bondable electronics designed to improve repairability and recyclability
• Speaker systems incorporating 95% recycled magnets
• Lower-emission steel applications
• Recycled seat foam technologies
• FlexAir seat technology
• New headlamp innovations

Several of these technologies are already planned for future JLR vehicle programmes.

Designing for Resource Resilience

While decarbonisation often dominates sustainability conversations, resource security is becoming an equally significant concern.

Material supply disruptions, geopolitical uncertainty and growing demand for critical inputs are prompting manufacturers to rethink how products are designed and sourced but Cornerstone addresses these challenges by improving material recovery and extending component life.

The emphasis on repairability and recyclability could help manufacturers reduce dependence on virgin resources while improving resilience against future supply constraints.

Industry Firsts Demonstrate What’s Possible

Among the project’s most notable achievements are several technologies described as ‘industry firsts’.

• 100% closed-loop recycled glass, delivering a 36% reduction in CO₂e
• De-bondable electronics, enabling headlamp repair and recycling
• 95% recycled speaker magnets

These innovations target areas that have traditionally proven difficult to address within circular economy strategies and by focusing on practical applications rather than theoretical possibilities, the project highlights how incremental advances across multiple components can collectively generate meaningful impact.

Circularity as an Economic Opportunity

The business case for circularity is increasingly tied to competitiveness and as regulations evolve and customer expectations rise, manufacturers that can secure material flows, lower embedded emissions and recover value from products at end of life may gain strategic advantages.

JLR Senior Manager Circularity Paul Francis highlighted the importance of coordinated action across the value chain.

“What we’re achieving with Cornerstone shows how JLR can lead in advancing circularity across the automotive industry, and the value of a coordinated, multi-party approach to deliver progress faster.”

“When we engage early on shared goals and each partner in the value chain brings their expertise collaboratively throughout development, production efficiency and overall outcomes improve significantly. This is how real, honest progress is made, and how the economic opportunity of circularity can be realised.”

Building the Foundations of Circular Manufacturing

JLR says innovations emerging from its Circularity Lab will continue feeding into Cornerstone as new solutions mature.

The programme explores methods to improve how end-of-life vehicles are dismantled and how components can be reused, repaired and recycled more effectively.

The company also recently joined the Global Impact Coalition’s Automotive Plastics Circularity Project, which aims to improve recycling pathways for automotive plastics used throughout vehicles.

Together, these initiatives suggest that circularity is becoming embedded across the automotive product lifecycle—from design and sourcing through to recovery and remanufacturing.

“I was privileged to hear about this trailblazing project from Jaguar Land Rover on a recent visit to their design HQ at Whitley in Coventry,” said Mary Creagh MP CBE Minister for Nature.

“It shows how industry can innovate with government providing a stable policy and investment framework. We must build a resource resilient economy, where waste is designed out and the cars of the future are built to last. Our upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan will set out how we will support this green growth in every nation and region.”

The post Inside JLR’s Cornerstone Project: Building Circularity into the Automotive Supply Chain appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

FUELLING INNOVATION

• £2 billion investment over five years to support advanced computing, scientific research, and workforce development throughout the UK.
• New strategic partnerships with Imperial College London and Oriole Networks will advance research in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and next-generation computing.
• Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) and Dell Technologies are collaborating with the University of Cambridge on the Zenith AI supercomputer and the Sunrise fusion AI system, contributing to the expansion of the UK’s sovereign AI infrastructure.
• AMD Instinct™ graphics processing units (GPUs), AMD EPYC™ central processing units (CPUs), and AMD Radeon Open Compute (ROCm™) open software will support projects in scientific research, healthcare, public sector innovation, and AI-driven discoveries.

AMD has announced plans to invest up to £2 billion in the UK over the next five years.

This investment aims to accelerate AI innovation and research whilst expanding access to the computational resources necessary for long-term economic growth and scientific leadership throughout the country.

EMPOWERING AND ELEVATING THE FUTURE

During London Tech Week, AMD Chair and CEO Dr Lisa Su discussed a range of investments and strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating the UK’s AI ecosystem.

These efforts seek to enhance access to advanced computing resources crucial to scientific discovery and innovation in the public sector.

The initiatives align with the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan and AI Hardware Strategy, which support broader national goals of building world-class AI infrastructure, developing technical talent, and fostering the adoption of AI technologies.

UK government officials hailed the announcement as a major advancement in enhancing the nation’s AI infrastructure, research ecosystem, and long-term economic competitiveness.

NEW STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS

AMD has recently announced a collaboration with Imperial College London, expanding on its work with Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) and JPMorgan Chase.

This new partnership aims to advance computational science and support research that requires large-scale computing resources, particularly in fields such as healthcare innovation and climate modelling.

Additionally, AMD and Imperial College plan to explore ways to optimise AI models, scientific workflows, and data-intensive applications using AMD compute platforms and the AMD ROCm™ open software.

AMD is partnering with Oriole Networks to support the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Scaling Inference Lab, a national initiative to address critical bottlenecks in AI infrastructure.

This collaboration combines Oriole’s PRISM photonic networking architecture with AMD Instinct™ GPUs and AMD EPYC™ processors to explore new methods for scaling inference workloads. The goal is to improve performance and energy efficiency while reducing latency.

This initiative is set to contribute to what is anticipated to be the world’s first large-scale AI system powered by a purely photonic network. This is an important step toward developing infrastructure technologies that can support future generations of AI systems in the UK.

EXPANDING NATIONAL CAPACITY

AMD and Dell Technologies are collaborating with the University of Cambridge to enhance the UK’s national AI infrastructure.

This initiative includes the development of the new Zenith AI supercomputer and the Sunrise fusion AI system, in partnership with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

Zenith is a significant AI-for-science platform funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It is designed and operated by the University of Cambridge, utilising technology from AMD and Dell.

Sunrise is another AI supercomputer currently under construction, also powered by AMD and Dell, and part of a long-standing partnership between UKAEA and the University of Cambridge, specifically dedicated to fusion research.

Furthermore, it is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Together, these systems support a wide range of AI-for-science applications, including healthcare research, climate modelling, materials science, engineering simulations, fusion research, and the development of scientific AI models.

SUPPORTING THE UK’S AI INFRASTRUCTURE

By investing strategically and fostering research and ecosystem partnerships, AMD is enhancing the UK’s computing capabilities and supporting the next generation of scientific and technological advancements.

AMD will continue to collaborate with the government, academia, and industry to strengthen the foundations for long-term competitiveness and global leadership in AI.

The post Why AMD is Planning a £2 Billion UK Investment in AI Research and Computing appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Amazon Business targets procurement efficiency with new AI capabilities

Amazon Business has announced a suite of new AI-powered tools and enhanced spend management capabilities aimed at helping procurement teams navigate growing operational complexity.

Unveiled at Amazon Business Exchange (ABX) 2026, the updates focus on enabling organisations to move beyond transactional purchasing towards more intelligent, data-driven procurement. The enhancements include the UK rollout of Amazon Quick, an AI assistant designed to automate workflows, alongside upgraded spend visibility and anomaly detection tools for Prime Business members.

The launch reflects a wider shift in procurement priorities, as organisations seek technologies that can simultaneously improve efficiency, strengthen governance and free teams to focus on strategic decision-making.

Procurement teams face mounting pressure to do more with less

According to Amazon Business’s latest State of Procurement research, procurement leaders increasingly recognise the importance of technology in responding to heightened demands.

The report found that:

• 73% of senior leaders believe stronger data and analysis capabilities will be critical to improving operations over the next two years.
• 47% of procurement decision-makers say balancing efficiency with growing operational demands remains their biggest challenge.

Speaking at ABX 2026, Céline Vuillequez, Vice President, Amazon Business Europe, said:

“Our customers aren’t short of ambition, they’re short of time. They’re juggling more systems, suppliers and pressure than ever. But the organisations getting ahead in procurement aren’t just buying more efficiently, they’re buying more intelligently.

“They’re using data to anticipate demand, AI to eliminate repetitive tasks, and analytics to drive smarter spending. That’s the standard we’re building toward, giving Prime Business members, regardless of size, the tools to focus less on process and more on the decisions that move their organisation forward.”

What is Amazon Quick?

The headline announcement was the UK introduction of Amazon Quick, an AI assistant designed to automate everyday business tasks and support decision-making across procurement and other functions.

Available from 30 June, Prime Business members on Basic, Small, Medium and Unlimited plans will receive 20% off the Quick Plus plan, supporting up to 300 users.

Unlike traditional AI tools focused solely on answering questions, Amazon says Quick is designed to take action within existing workflows.

Key capabilities include:

• Connecting data and applications
• Quick integrates with thousands of applications and data sources, including built-in connectors for platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Outlook
• Users can automate manual tasks, conduct research and generate deliverables

Procurement use cases:

• Researching competitors to pressure-test pricing strategies
• Pulling together relevant cost information
• Identifying risks within proposed agreements
• Reviewing vendor proposals against historical agreements and flagging areas for negotiation
• Generating reports using an organisation’s own files and datasets
• Learning organisational priorities

The assistant can proactively surface information requiring attention while only acting with explicit user approval, helping organisations maintain control over data and decision-making.

Customers in the U.S. are already benefiting from Amazon Quick, including Keith Lillico, Founder of Lillico Learning – an education development company specialising in corporate training solutions – and Prime Business member said:

“I’ve used AI throughout my business quite a bit, but nothing that’s centralised. Quick starts to bring a lot of those fringe pieces into the centre in one location, and it gives me ideas of what I probably haven’t thought of yet.

As a small business owner, I’m managing the business and working the front line with my employees every day. I see Quick freeing up capacity for me, not handling the simple business operations parts quite as much, so I can allocate more time to projects that need a closer eye, or take on new ones entirely, because a lot of the administrative time has been freed up.”

Spend management tools gain deeper visibility and governance

Alongside Quick, Amazon Business announced enhancements to its existing spend management capabilities, aimed at improving financial oversight without increasing administrative burden.

The upgraded Spend Visibility dashboard now offers:

• A redesigned user interface
• Expanded access for more users across the organisation
• Near real-time data updates
• 24 months of historical data, doubling the previous 12-month period

The additional history is intended to help organisations identify seasonal spending trends, assess the impact of policy changes and build stronger evidence-based business cases.

AI-powered anomaly detection broadens access

Enhancements to Spend Anomaly Monitoring include:

• Expanded access beyond administrators to finance and group administrator roles.
• Weekly digest emails highlighting unusual spending patterns.
• AI-driven transaction analysis designed to identify purchases falling outside established norms.

By embedding alerts into existing workflows, Amazon aims to make spend governance a continuous activity rather than a separate reporting exercise.

Large organisations seek greater control through integration

Amazon Business also highlighted how larger enterprises are using technology integration to streamline purchasing.

One example is ams OSRAM, which integrated Amazon Business with its SAP Ariba procurement system to improve visibility and simplify buying processes across its operations.

The integration reduced approval times from approximately seven days to less than one day while lowering operational workloads and delivering price reductions within its IT category.

Tobias Eberhard, Procurement Process Expert and SAP Ariba Lead at ams OSRAM, said:

“Having clearer visibility over spend has changed the role procurement can play.

“With better insight and less manual work, we’re able to focus more on where we add real value – making faster decisions, improving efficiency, and supporting the wider business more strategically.”

Supply Chain Outlook Podcast

Céline Vuillequez, Vice President, Amazon Business Europe will be the first guest on the new Supply Chain Outlook Podcast.

Subcribe here or wherever you get your podcasts.

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A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE

Delivered by Digital Catapult‘s UK Digital Twin Centre in Belfast, the inaugural Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator has demonstrated how digital twin technologies can move from concept to practical implementation, creating tangible value for businesses across the UK.

Showcasing innovative solutions developed by nine small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the UK, the programme demonstrated how digital twins can address real-world industrial challenges in high-growth sectors, including aerospace, maritime, defence, manufacturing, renewable energy, engineering, and critical infrastructure.

The accelerator represents a significant milestone for Northern Ireland’s technology sector, highlighting the region’s internationally recognised strengths in modelling and simulation whilst supporting wider industrial transformation across the UK.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CONCEPT AND APPLICATION

Designed to demystify digital twin technology, the accelerator brought together technology providers and industry leaders to explore practical applications that deliver measurable business outcomes.

Supported by Digital Catapult’s team of technologists and innovation experts, participating companies examined how digital twins could strengthen supply chain resilience, improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and support better decision-making across industrial environments.

The programme also provided access to specialist facilities, connectivity, and computing resources, enabling deep tech startups to validate solutions, demonstrate market value, and accelerate commercialisation opportunities.

By moving conversations beyond theoretical potential and towards practical implementation, the initiative has helped businesses better understand how digital twins can be integrated into existing operations to drive long-term value.

SHOWCASING INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION

Among the participating companies was Voxshell, which developed an AI-enabled digital twin platform that connects design, simulation, testing, and manufacturing environments into a single ecosystem for the aerospace sector.

The solution demonstrated how engineers can visualise real-time system behaviour, optimise performance, and reduce prototyping costs through enhanced visibility and simulation capabilities.

Meanwhile, Helix8 Ltd collaborated with the Port of Larne to explore how digital twins could support ports on their journey towards net-zero operations.

Its AI-enabled geospatial digital twin analysed real-time Internet of Things (IoT) data from port infrastructure, providing greater visibility of energy consumption and supporting more effective management of electrification, electric vehicle charging, and renewable energy generation.

By modelling future demand and simulating decarbonisation scenarios, the solution illustrated how ports could reduce emissions, optimise energy resources, and develop more sustainable operating models.

STRENGTHENING THE UK’S DEEP TECH ECOSYSTEM

The programme concluded with a showcase event attended by investors, innovators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, providing an opportunity to assess the outcomes and future potential of the participating solutions.

The success of the accelerator underscores Belfast’s growing importance within the UK’s digital economy and highlights the wider impact that innovation emerging from Northern Ireland’s deep tech ecosystem can have across national industries.

Strong alignment with the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy further reinforces the role digital twins can play in enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and resilience across high-growth sectors.

According to Sherrie Rad, Programme Lead at Innovate UK, the accelerator demonstrated how collaboration between technology innovators and industry can accelerate the deployment of digital twins whilst creating measurable business value through improved performance, resilience, and sustainability.

BUILDING A DIGITAL TWIN COMMUNITY

Alongside the accelerator, the UK Digital Twin Centre has launched a new Digital Twin Community Platform designed to connect industry, academia, and technology providers from across the UK’s digital twin ecosystem.

The online hub will provide access to learning resources, knowledge-sharing opportunities, industry events, and collaborative innovation initiatives, helping to further accelerate the adoption and scaling of digital twin technologies nationwide.

For Dr Katrina Thompson, Director of the UK Digital Twin Centre, the programme has demonstrated that digital twins are no longer a theoretical proposition but a practical competitive advantage for organisations willing to embrace modelling and simulation technologies.

As the first programme of its kind, the Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator has not only showcased the transformative potential of digital twins but also established a foundation for future interventions to support innovation and growth across the UK’s most strategically important industries.

The post Digital Catapult Unlocks Digital Twin Potential appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Gridserve reaches profitability as EV charging demand accelerates

Gridserve, the UK’s most-used public EV charging network, has reported revenues of £64 million for the year ending 31 December 2025, representing 45% year-on-year growth.

The company also achieved a significant financial milestone by delivering positive EBITDA at group level for the first time, reporting £3 million in group EBITDA, while its charging network generated £26 million in EBITDA, equivalent to a 40% margin.

The results provide evidence that public EV charging infrastructure can evolve from a capital-intensive climate solution into a commercially sustainable business model.

Since 2023, Gridserve ‘s revenues have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55%, reflecting rising EV adoption and increasing utilisation across the network.

The commercial case for sustainable transport infrastructure strengthens

The debate around the economics of EV charging infrastructure has often focused on whether operators can achieve sufficient utilisation to generate sustainable returns.

Gridserve’s latest results suggest that question is increasingly being answered.

During 2025, the network completed more than three million charging sessions, supported by growing consumer confidence in public charging and demand for reliable, convenient infrastructure.

Leadership focus sharpens the business strategy

The milestone follows a period of renewed strategic focus under CEO Daniel Kunkel, who joined Gridserve in March 2025 after previous roles at Shell and ubitricity.

Since his appointment, the company says it has streamlined its portfolio and strengthened commercial execution across its charging operations.

Daniel Kunkel, CEO of Gridserve, said:

“This strong set of results demonstrates the commercial strength of our platform at a time when EV adoption and demand are accelerating across the UK. We continue to build a network that drivers trust and rely on, providing a leading customer experience that delivers convenience.

“It’s more important than ever that the EV infrastructure investment is supported by a stable long-term framework from the government. We remain committed to playing our part in supporting this transition, and we are keen to engage with government on how we can collectively accelerate EV adoption, support UK growth, and build the infrastructure the country needs.”

Reliability and customer experience become competitive differentiators

Beyond financial performance, Gridserve’s results suggest that customer experience is becoming a key factor in driving EV adoption.

The company reported 99% availability across its network of more than 200 operational sites, positioning reliability as a central part of its value proposition.

Customer satisfaction metrics also remained strong. Gridserve holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.2, ahead of its major competitors, and received recognition as a Zap-Map Driver Recommended Network 2026 and Charging Network of the Year 2025 from Electrifying.com.

Expanding infrastructure to support transport decarbonisation

Gridserve continues to invest in expanding the UK’s charging ecosystem as the network now includes more than 1,600 ultra-rapid charging bays, an increase of 19% year-on-year, spanning over 200 locations across the UK’s strategic road network.

The business plans to add a further 500 ultra-rapid charge points during the coming year, alongside the opening of a new Electric Forecourt at Markham Vale near the M1 in summer 2026.

The company’s ambitions extend beyond passenger vehicles as heavy goods vehicles remain one of the most challenging segments to decarbonise.

In 2025, Gridserve launched its Electric Freightway programme, supported by funding from the Department for Transport, opening the UK’s first public electric heavy goods vehicle (eHGV) charging hubs at Extra Baldock and Moto Exeter.

By investing in charging infrastructure for freight operators, the company is addressing a critical gap in the transition to lower-carbon transport.

The initiative reflects growing recognition that achieving national climate targets will require solutions that support the decarbonisation of commercial fleets alongside private mobility.

Innovation focused on resilience and accessibility

Gridserve is also piloting battery storage technologies to strengthen network resilience at grid-constrained locations.

Working in partnership with Ameresco, National Highways and Roadchef, the company is exploring ways to maintain high-power charging availability even where grid capacity remains limited.

The business also introduced Autocharge during 2025, enabling drivers to simply plug in and charge automatically without using payment cards.

Reducing friction in the charging experience is increasingly seen as an important factor in accelerating consumer acceptance of electric mobility.

Investors see EV charging emerge as a mature asset class

The company’s shareholders highlighted the significance of the results beyond GRIDSERVE itself.

Andy Matthews, Chief Investment Officer at Infracapital and Gridserve co-shareholder, said:

” Gridserve’s strong results this year mark a defining moment – not just for the business, but also for EV charging as an asset class. Achieving EBITDA positivity at scale demonstrates how long-term, patient capital can drive commercial returns while addressing a critical national need.

“We remain committed to supporting the management team as it continues building the backbone of the UK’s clean transport network.”

Jamie Gilbert, Business Unit Partner at TPG Rise Climate, added:

“Having seen Gridserve‘s momentum firsthand for over five years, we’re encouraged by the business’s growing financial strength and are excited to continue to invest in growing the network. These results underscore the increasing demand for reliable, high-quality EV charging infrastructure.”

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FROM EXPERIMENTATION TO IMPLEMENTATION  

Deloitte has unveiled a new AI Studio at its London campus, expanding its ability to deliver agentic AI solutions to businesses across the UK. 

Developed in partnership with Google Cloud, the facility is designed to help organisations accelerate the adoption of autonomous AI systems and move beyond the experimentation phase towards large-scale deployment. 

Scheduled to open in late July, the Deloitte AI Studio will operate as a collaborative innovation hub where the company’s specialists and clients can develop and implement production-ready agentic AI solutions.  

The initiative is aimed at supporting organisations across a range of sectors, including the public sector, financial services, retail, consumer products, healthcare and life sciences, and technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT). 

For retail businesses, the studio will focus on advancing customer experiences through agentic AI, moving beyond traditional generative AI chat interfaces towards more sophisticated and autonomous systems.  

Within healthcare and TMT, efforts will centre on transforming established business models and streamlining day-to-day operations through AI-driven solutions. 

FORGING A STRONGER BOND  

The launch also strengthens the existing relationship between Deloitte and Google Cloud. Alongside the opening of the studio, Deloitte has announced a major skills development programme that will see 1,000 members of its UK AI and data workforce trained on Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise platform. 

The certification initiative is intended to equip Deloitte’s AI and data engineers with the expertise required to deploy Google’s advanced agentic architecture, creating one of the region’s largest pools of certified AI professionals. 

Speaking at the Google Cloud London Summit, Hayley McKelvey, Chief AI Officer at Deloitte UK, said: “Our clients are looking for more than just productivity gains – they want AI that can take action and drive real-world business outcomes.”  

Maureen Costello, Vice President for the UK, Ireland and Sub-Saharan Africa at Google Cloud, added: “We are witnessing British organisations move their AI initiatives into production, building a new era of agentic AI that delivers tangible value.” 

BUILDING AI CAPABILITY  

The facility will also host regular innovation laboratories, enabling clients to prototype and validate agentic AI solutions in as little as four weeks, helping to accelerate the delivery of complex AI projects. 

Matt Lacey, Global Chief Commercial Officer for Alphabet Google at Deloitte, highlighted the significance of the investment, stating:  

Google Cloud provides an AI technology stack that includes infrastructure, Gemini AI models, data management capabilities, multi-cloud security solutions, developer tools, platforms, agents, and applications. The company supports customers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. 

The post Deloitte and Google Cloud Partnership Spearheads UK’s Agentic AI Transition  appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

DHL expands healthcare logistics footprint with flagship UK facility

DHL Supply Chain is developing a new 194,000 sq. ft. automated healthcare hub at Infinity Park Derby, creating a shared-user platform designed specifically for the life sciences sector.

The facility will support organisations across consumer health, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and animal health, serving as DHL’s flagship Life Sciences and Healthcare site in the UK and Ireland and the seventh facility within its specialist healthcare network.

More than a traditional warehouse, Infinity Park Derby is designed to help healthcare organisations transition away from fragmented logistics models toward standardised, scalable and resilient supply chain operations.

The development also represents a key milestone in DHL’s £550 million commitment to automation and infrastructure across the UK and Ireland, while contributing to DHL Group’s broader €2 billion investment in life sciences and healthcare by 2030.

Martin Willmor, CEO of DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland, highlighted the changing demands facing healthcare supply chains.

“The UK health landscape is experiencing sustained, above-trend growth across pharma, medical devices and consumer health, driven by demand for advanced therapies and personalised medicine. Developing the new Infinity Park site ensures we can meet this accelerating demand with the specialist infrastructure needed to support growth.

By combining automation with multi-temperature flexibility, we are making market-leading technology accessible to organisations of all sizes, helping them scale without sacrificing quality, control or sustainability.”

Automation becomes a strategic enabler for healthcare supply chains

As healthcare supply chains face increasing complexity, automation is emerging as a critical capability for improving service levels, compliance and efficiency.

Infinity Park Derby has been designed around high-density automation technologies, including pallet shuttle systems capable of handling inbound processing, storage and order picking with minimal manual intervention. The site also has the capability to introduce Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) as operations evolve.

The facility will support both B2B and B2C fulfilment models, enabling healthcare companies to respond more effectively to changing patient needs and customer expectations.

By operating as a shared-user environment, the site gives organisations access to advanced logistics capabilities without the significant capital investment required to build dedicated infrastructure.

Multi-temperature capabilities support increasingly complex healthcare products

One of the defining features of the Derby facility is its ability to manage products across multiple temperature ranges.

The site will support ambient, chilled and frozen environments, allowing it to accommodate a broad range of healthcare products, from over-the-counter consumer health products to temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

This flexibility is becoming increasingly important as the healthcare sector experiences sustained growth in advanced therapies and personalised medicine, both of which place greater demands on logistics providers.

According to DHL, the combination of regulatory-grade infrastructure, automation and shared-user operations is intended to improve speed to market, enhance predictability and reduce cost-to-serve without compromising compliance requirements.

Sustainability designed into healthcare logistics infrastructure

Alongside automation, sustainability has been embedded into the design of the facility.

Infinity Park Derby is targeting both a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and EPC ‘A’ certification and has been designed using a net-zero approach to operate as a carbon-neutral facility.

The development incorporates electrification, energy-efficient automation and renewable energy integration, including on-site solar photovoltaic generation and the sourcing of renewable electricity.

The warehouse is also designed to maximise storage density, accommodating up to 40% more pallets within the same footprint compared with traditional facilities.

Combined with “dark-store” automation requiring minimal lighting and integrated EV charging infrastructure, the approach is intended to significantly reduce operational energy demand while supporting lower-carbon transportation.

Industry leaders highlight resilience and growth

Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said the investment demonstrates confidence in the UK’s position as a hub for life sciences innovation.

“This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the UK as a leading destination for life sciences and advanced logistics. Facilities like Infinity Park Derby show how we are creating the right conditions for businesses to invest, innovate and grow through our modern Industrial Strategy.

“By combining cutting-edge automation with high-quality jobs, DHL’s new site will strengthen our healthcare supply chains and support economic growth in the Midlands and across the UK.”

Nick Richardson, Infinity Park Derby LLP, said:

“We are delighted to see construction progressing at Plot B1 with DHL as our tenant. This development represents another key milestone for Infinity Park Derby, reinforcing its position as one of the East Midland’s premier locations for advanced logistics and distribution. The scheme’s strong sustainability credentials reflect our long-term commitment to delivering high-quality, future-proofed space for end occupiers.”

Kean Hird, Partner at Catalyst Capital, added:

“We are pleased to forward fund this high-quality logistics asset, pre-let to a globally recognised occupier in DHL. The development aligns with our investment strategy, focusing on best-in-class assets with strong ESG credentials and long-term income security.”

The post DHL’s Automated Healthcare Hub Signals the Future of UK Life Sciences Supply Chains appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

LEGO Group breaks ground on largest solar park in Billund

The LEGO Group has begun construction of its biggest renewable energy project to date, with a new solar park in Billund, Denmark, expected to generate enough electricity to match the company’s entire local power consumption.

The development marks another step in the company’s long-term climate strategy, illustrating how sustainability investments are increasingly being designed to deliver multiple outcomes beyond carbon reduction.

Once operational in late 2027, the Billund Solar Park is expected to produce approximately 99 GWh of renewable electricity annually, helping the company expand its renewable energy footprint while strengthening the resilience of its energy supply.

The facility will have an installed capacity of 116 MW and a grid connection of 80 MW peak.

A renewable energy investment tied to net-zero ambitions

The project forms part of the LEGO Group’s wider ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050.

The company has been expanding renewable energy capacity through a combination of on-site generation, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). According to the release, the Billund development alone is expected to increase the LEGO Group’s installed renewable energy capacity by 204% compared with 2025 levels.

Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer at the LEGO Group, said:

“The Billund solar park is an important milestone towards our ambition to expand our renewable energy capacity globally and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, it has been thoughtfully designed to support local biodiversity and provide a welcoming space for the community to enjoy.”

Designing renewable infrastructure with nature in mind

What distinguishes the Billund project from many conventional solar developments is its explicit focus on biodiversity.

While 65 hectares of the site will host solar panels, the remaining 35 hectares will be dedicated to habitats designed to support local ecosystems. Plans include wetlands, open landscapes and water holes intended to encourage wildlife.

Extra biodiversity measures include:

• Installation of bat habitats and nesting boxes
• Planting of grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees
• Landscape design aimed at minimising the visual impact of the solar arrays

Community access built into the project

The Billund Solar Park has also been designed to provide social value to the local community.

The surrounding natural areas will remain open to the public, creating recreational and educational opportunities for residents and visitors. Planned features include:

• Walking paths and boardwalks through the site
• Educational opportunities focused on biodiversity
• The restoration and repurposing of an existing transformer tower into a small museum space

The post LEGO Group’s Biggest Solar Project Yet Shows Renewable Energy Can Deliver More Than Decarbonisation appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

CREATING MEASURABLE IMPACT ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN

With climate change continuing to reshape agricultural reality through droughts, heatwaves, and unpredictable rainfall, reducing yields and impacting supply, 2025 was another year shaped by volatility for the global beverage industry.

As reported in Finlays’ 2025 Sustainability Report, this past year has made it more evident than ever before that it is time for the sector to ‘take action for the beverages of tomorrow.’

The report tracked Finlay’s progress against its Sustainable Future 2030 strategy, which sets ambitious commitments on the three core areas of climate net zero, sustainable supply, and the company’s people. It made significant progress towards these goals by reducing emissions, optimising water use, and further minimising waste.

“Climate change is already having a major impact across our supply chain — piling pressure on producers, threatening supply and ultimately driving up costs for consumers. Through Finlays’ Sustainable Future 2030 strategy, we see firsthand how collaboration between producers, suppliers, buying teams and industry bodies can mitigate these effects. By sharing insight, unlocking investment, and delivering shared initiatives, we can build resilience where it’s needed most,” notes Joe Yalley-Ogunro, Head of Sustainability.

Specifically, in 2025, Finlays experienced significant business growth. The company acquired Leahy-IFP, a leading aseptic packer and formulator of natural fruit-based beverages, which has doubled the size of Finlays’ business in North America.

Not only does this add to the company’s footprint, but in tandem, it increases the complexity of its supply chain and the number of people connected to the business.

However, whilst the challenge may be substantial, Finlays is confident in its ability to deliver a more sustainable future for the beverage industry by prioritising the practice of its core values: ‘Acting for the Long Term’, ‘Taking Accountability’, ‘Doing Better Each Time’, and ‘Succeeding Together’.

PROTECTING THE PLANET TO SAFEGUARD NATURAL BEVERAGES

The positive progress Finlays achieved in 2025 includes a 26 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions over the past three years; 100 percent of made tea and green leaf tea traceable to factory, garden mark, or farm; 100 percent of soluble coffee traceable to mill; 75 percent of its global workforce paid a living wage or higher; 93 percent of waste recycled, recovered, or reused; and the launch of a ‘Carbon Removal Project’ at Finlays Argentina to significantly reduce forest, land, and agriculture (FLAG) emissions and improve biodiversity data.

Yalley-Ogunro observes that “We made good progress against our targets last year, but pressure is mounting and we know we need to move faster. Our focus in 2026 is to increase the pace of change across all three pillars of Sustainable Future 2030 – embedding sustainability more deeply into how we operate, make decisions, and work with others. The challenges facing our industry will not wait, and neither will we.”

As Finlays approaches 2030 and its environmental targets, its sustainability ambitions and efforts to get there are higher than ever.

With a goal to advance human rights to empower all, Finlays is steadfast in its determination to be a business where people are valued and treated fairly. It is encouraging growth and development to create a future where protecting the planet to safeguard natural beverages is commonplace.

The post Finlays’ 2025 Sustainability Report Calls for Greater Industry Collaboration appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

A CLEANER, MORE RESILIENT SYSTEM

As global electricity demand continues to surge, energy technology leaders Schneider Electric and Kraken have announced a strategic partnership designed to accelerate the adoption of electricity demand flexibility and support the transition to a cleaner, more resilient energy system.

By combining advanced grid visibility, forecasting capabilities, and real-time demand management, the collaboration will help utilities and Distribution System Operators (DSOs) unlock additional capacity from existing networks. The initiative is expected to accelerate connections for data centres and large industrial facilities whilst reducing reliance on expensive, long-term grid reinforcement projects.

ADDRESSING A GROWING CHALLENGE

The partnership comes at a critical time for the global energy sector. Rising electrification, increasing deployment of renewable energy, and rapidly expanding data centre infrastructure are placing unprecedented pressure on electricity networks.

Data centre electricity consumption alone reached approximately 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024 and is projected to double by 2030. At the same time, many grid operators continue to face network congestion due to limited real-time visibility of local electricity systems.

Traditionally, resolving these constraints has required major infrastructure investments that can take years to deliver. As a result, new network connections are often delayed, economic growth can be constrained, and costs ultimately increase for consumers and businesses alike.

Schneider Electric and Kraken believe demand-side flexibility offers a faster and more cost-effective alternative.

By optimising electricity consumption across electric vehicles (EVs), home batteries, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, industrial operations, and utility-scale energy assets, utilities can better balance supply and demand, reduce congestion, and maximise the use of existing infrastructure.

Analysts estimate that demand-side flexibility across industrial and commercial sectors could generate up to USD$1 trillion in value annually.

COMBINING DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE AND AI

At the heart of the partnership is the integration of Schneider Electric’s digital grid technologies with Kraken’s AI-powered operating platform.

Schneider Electric will provide utilities with real-time visibility of network constraints through its One Digital Grid Platform and EcoStruxure DERMS solutions. These technologies enable predictive optimisation, distributed control, energy intelligence, and flexible load management across increasingly complex electricity systems.

Kraken complements these capabilities by orchestrating distributed energy resources as a single coordinated network. Its platform connects and manages EVs, home batteries, and heat pumps, providing visibility across local low-voltage networks whilst coordinating these assets alongside utility-scale storage, generation facilities, and industrial loads.

Together, the technologies enable utilities to forecast congestion, shift demand in real time, and improve overall grid performance without requiring immediate infrastructure expansion.

ACCELERATING THE ENERGY TRANSITION

The partnership is expected to deliver benefits across the energy ecosystem.

For utilities and DSOs, greater visibility and control can unlock hidden network capacity, improve operational efficiency, and enable faster customer connections. For businesses, particularly data centres and energy-intensive industrial operations, this could significantly reduce waiting times for grid access.

Consumers also stand to benefit through lower overall system costs and a reduced need for expensive network upgrades that can contribute to higher electricity bills.

Amir Orad, CEO of Kraken, highlighted the importance of flexibility in meeting future energy demand.

Frédéric Godemel, Executive Vice President of Energy Management at Schneider Electric, emphasised the need for greater interoperability across modern energy networks.

POWERING THE POSSIBLE

As electricity demand continues to rise worldwide, flexibility is emerging as a critical tool for maintaining reliability, supporting economic growth, and enabling decarbonisation.

By bringing together Schneider Electric’s expertise in digital energy management and Kraken’s AI-driven orchestration platform, the partnership demonstrates how technology can help utilities extract greater value from existing infrastructure whilst accelerating the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

For an industry facing mounting pressure to connect new loads, integrate renewable energy sources, and manage rising demand, smarter grid flexibility may prove to be one of the most powerful resources available.

The post Schneider Electric and Kraken Unlock Grid Flexibility appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

ProcureCon Europe, the leading event for Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) and senior procurement executives, is coming to Cologne, bringing together more than 650 of Europe’s most influential procurement leaders for three days of strategic discussion, peer-to-peer learning, and industry collaboration.

With more than 400 procurement buyers from global organisations such as DHL, Roche, Asahi, Unilever, Nike, and many more, ProcureCon Europe has established itself as the premier forum for procurement professionals looking to benchmark performance, exchange practical insights, and redefine procurement’s role as a driver of enterprise-wide value.

At a time when procurement leaders are being asked to deliver far more than cost savings, the event will explore how the function can navigate unprecedented levels of disruption while accelerating business growth, resilience and transformation.

Senior leaders will gain practical strategies and real-world case studies focused on the issues shaping the future of procurement, including:

• Adopting agility to navigate a fast-changing business environment
• Using artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline procurement workflows and improve operational efficiency
• Adopting a “value architect” mindset to support enterprise-wide transformation
• Responding to cost inflation and geopolitical uncertainty while strengthening supplier resilience
• Positioning procurement as a strategic business partner through effective stakeholder management

As procurement teams face growing pressure to deliver strategic impact amid economic uncertainty, operational complexity, and rapid technological change, this year’s theme, ‘Harnessing Agile Procurement Practices to Drive Business Value,’ reflects the priorities shaping the function today.

The theme is built around two pillars central to modern procurement:

• Agility –“Agility” focuses on procurement’s ability to adapt quickly – from navigating complex stakeholder demands to redesigning workflows and operating models; to doing more with leaner teams and managing supplier relationships in a volatile macroeconomic and geopolitical environment.
• Business Value – “Business Value” highlights procurement’s role in securing cost savings and positioning the function as a strategic contributor to enterprise priorities such as risk mitigation, harnessing AI and data, supplier co-innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.

The 2026 programme features more than 20 hours of content delivered through keynote presentations, executive panel discussions, interactive workshops, peer-led roundtables, CPO boardroom sessions, and live technology demonstrations.

Attendees will hear directly from some of the most respected procurement leaders in Europe as they share practical lessons, transformation journeys, and proven approaches to overcoming today’s most pressing challenges.

A major focus of this year’s event will be the application of AI across procurement. From AI-powered sourcing and procurement orchestration to autonomous agents, supplier intelligence, and workforce optimisation, attendees will gain first-hand insight into how leading organisations are successfully deploying emerging technologies to improve performance and create measurable business outcomes.

Beyond the conference programme, ProcureCon Europe offers unparalleled networking opportunities, connecting procurement leaders with peers facing similar challenges, innovative technology providers, and industry thought leaders.

Through facilitated networking sessions, interactive discussions, and informal meetings, attendees will build valuable relationships that extend well beyond the event itself.

ProcureCon Europe 2026 provides senior procurement professionals with a unique opportunity to benchmark against leading organisations, discover innovative solutions, exchange ideas with peers, and return to their organisations with actionable strategies to strengthen procurement’s contribution to business success.

As procurement continues its evolution from cost controller to strategic value creator, ProcureCon Europe remains the essential meeting place for leaders committed to shaping the future of the function.

Use code PCOUTLOOK10 for 10% off your ticket.

For more information or to register, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3whn5tjm

The post ProcureCon Europe 2026 : Your Source for Procurement-Led Impact appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Unilever expands industrial AI ambitions across manufacturing

As manufacturers search for practical ways to apply artificial intelligence on the factory floor, Unilever is betting on digital twins to deliver measurable operational gains at scale.

The consumer goods giant has announced a multi-year partnership with Accenture to accelerate the deployment of AI-enabled digital twins across its global manufacturing footprint. The initiative will see Unilever build more than 40 new digital twins over the next 18 months, creating a blueprint for wider rollout across its network.

The move represents the latest stage in Unilever’s broader effort to embed advanced technologies throughout its operations, using industrial AI not simply as an experimentation tool but as a mechanism to improve production performance, responsiveness and sustainability outcomes.

Moving digital twins from pilot projects to global deployment

Digital twins create virtual representations of factory assets and production lines using live operational data collected from equipment on the shop floor. By modelling how physical systems behave, they allow manufacturers to monitor performance, predict issues and test scenarios before making changes in real-world environments.

Unilever is now combining these digital models with AI-enabled insights and agentic capabilities designed to support decision-making throughout the production cycle.

The approach enables manufacturing teams to:

• Detect issues earlier
• Simulate production scenarios more rapidly
• Optimise operating parameters
• Predict maintenance requirements
• Improve operational decision-making

Accenture said the technology can progressively automate selected adjustments over time, while maintaining human oversight as employees build confidence in the system’s recommendations.

A manufacturing strategy built around people and AI

For Unilever, the programme reflects a broader operational philosophy centred on augmenting workforce capabilities rather than replacing them.

“Scaling AI across our operations isn’t just a technological shift, it’s a commitment to superior products, sustainability and empowering our teams across our factories,” said Adam Raeburn-James, Global VP for Digital Business Operations, Unilever.

“Through our partnership with Accenture to accelerate digital twins, we are turning innovation into measurable impact to create desirable brands for our 3.7 billion consumers worldwide.”

Accenture positioned the initiative as an example of industrial AI delivering long-term business value through disciplined implementation.

“Unilever has long been recognized for its supply chain excellence, and expanding the use of manufacturing digital twins reflects the company’s continued focus on both technology and people,” said Nicole van Det, CEO Accenture Netherlands and Nordics and global account lead for Unilever.

“Having invested early in AI, the company is setting the standard for pairing advanced tools with smart process design and disciplined execution on the shop floor. Together, we’re setting the benchmark for how industrial AI creates long-lasting value in the consumer goods sector.”

Early factory results demonstrate measurable gains

The announcement stands out because it is underpinned by operational examples already delivering results across Unilever’s manufacturing network.

At Unilever’s Raeford, North Carolina facility, digital twins supporting the production of brands including Dove, Degree and Axe predict 95% of process flow restrictions in deodorant stick manufacturing.

According to the company, the technology has contributed to:

• A 20% reduction in waste
• A 10% increase in production capacity
• Reducing energy consumption in detergent production

In Haldia, India, where powder detergents including Surf and Sunlight are manufactured, an energy twin optimises fan speeds, temperature settings and moisture controls.

Over a two-year period, the initiative has helped lower thermal energy consumption while supporting progress towards Unilever’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 climate targets.

Delivering consistency in food production

At the Poznan facility in Poland, digital twin technology is being used to improve mayonnaise production for brands including Knorr and Hellmann’s.

The company reported that the system has:

• Reduced viscosity variation
• Cut minor stoppages by up to 20%
• Reduced waste by nearly 30%
• Enhancing soap quality through real-time recommendations

At Gandhidham, India, one of Unilever’s largest South Asian personal care sites, digital twins provide real-time control recommendations during production.

Over four years, the company said this contributed to a 30% reduction in quality defects, measured in distribution centres immediately before products reached customers.

Optimising ingredient usage

In Cu Chi, Vietnam, AI-enabled digital twins help manage the production of liquid home care products such as OMO laundry detergent.

The intelligent mixing system optimises raw material dosing, preventing overuse while maintaining quality standards.

The result, according to Unilever, has been savings of between 1% and 2% in premium ingredients.

Industrial AI shifts from experimentation to execution

The partnership reflects a broader transition occurring across manufacturing as companies move beyond isolated AI pilots and seek scalable applications capable of delivering tangible returns.

Digital twins have long been viewed as a promising technology for industrial operations, but widespread adoption has often been constrained by implementation complexity and unclear business outcomes.

By grounding deployment in specific operational use cases and measurable performance metrics, Unilever appears to be focusing on industrial AI applications with clear links to productivity, quality and sustainability objectives.

The initiative also builds on the company’s wider technology investments, including its previously announced AI Horizon3 Lab in Toronto, which focuses on identifying and testing emerging AI applications.

The post Unilever and Accenture Scale AI Digital Twins Across Global Factories to Boost Efficiency and Quality appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Key Findings

• Persistent attacks – nearly half of organisations (47%) experienced two or more supply chain-related cyber incidents last year
• Declining confidence – only 28% believe traditional third-party risk management is very effective, down from 37% in 2025
• Traditional approaches are reaching their limits – one in five organisations pointed to the inability to continuously monitor supplier security controls as a major limitation in their current approach
• Collective defence – 93% of organisations support an industry-wide collaborative model for sharing cyber assurance and intelligence data

Supply Chain Disruptions Increasing Through Supplier Networks

Cyber threats are becoming an increasingly significant supply chain risk, with new research showing that more than four in five UK organisations experienced at least one supplier-related cyber security incident over the past 12 months.

According to Risk Ledger’s Every Link Matters: The State of Supply Chain Security 2026 report, 82% of organisations were affected by a supply chain cyber incident during the past year, while nearly half (47%) experienced two or more supplier-related incidents.

The findings highlight how cyber risk is no longer confined to IT departments but has become a broader supply chain resilience challenge, affecting organisations through increasingly complex supplier ecosystems.

Limited Visibility Beyond Tier-One Suppliers Remains a Major Challenge

As supply chains become more interconnected, many organisations continue to struggle with visibility beyond their direct suppliers.

The research found that 25% of organisations identified limited visibility into fourth- and fifth-tier suppliers as the single biggest weakness in their current third-party risk management approach.

This lack of transparency is creating significant blind spots across supply networks, making it difficult for organisations to understand dependencies supporting critical operations and assess how disruptions could cascade through supplier ecosystems.

Slow Incident Response Creates Operational Risk

The report suggests that many organisations remain poorly positioned to assess supply chain exposure during an active cyber event.

Only 9% of respondents said they could map their full supplier exposure within four hours of a major cyber incident. More than half reported that it would take longer than a full working day to determine whether they were affected.

On average, businesses require 1.9 days to understand exposure across their supplier networks following a significant cyber attack.

For supply chain leaders, this delay can increase operational disruption, prolong recovery times and complicate decision-making during critical incidents.

Traditional Supplier Risk Models Struggling to Keep Pace

The research indicates that conventional third-party risk management approaches are increasingly being challenged by the speed and complexity of modern supply chains.

While 60% of organisations described traditional third-party risk management programmes as somewhat effective, only 28% said they were very effective. This represents a decline from 37% in 2025, suggesting confidence in existing approaches is weakening.

A further 20% of respondents cited the inability to continuously monitor supplier security controls as a major limitation in their current risk management framework.

The findings point to a growing gap between awareness of supply chain risk and the ability to monitor and respond to threats in real time.

Industry Calls for Greater Supply Chain Collaboration

The report highlights growing support for a more collaborative approach to supply chain resilience.

An overwhelming 93% of organisations said they support an industry-wide model for sharing supplier cyber assurance and intelligence data.

At the same time, 24% of businesses reported that they still cannot identify concentration risks across shared suppliers and subcontractors, leaving them vulnerable when multiple organisations rely on the same critical third parties.

“Traditional approaches to supply chain cyber security are no longer enough to deal with the speed and complexity of modern threats,” said Haydn Brooks, CEO and Co-Founder of Risk Ledger.

“The fact that 93% of security leaders want an industry-wide model for sharing supplier intelligence tells you everything about where the market is heading. Organisations recognise that cyber resilience can no longer be achieved in isolation. However, businesses still lack visibility into dependencies, continuous insight and the collaborative mechanisms needed to identify risks before they escalate into operational disruption.”

Shift Toward Active Supply Chain Security

The research suggests organisations are increasingly exploring what Risk Ledger describes as Active Supply Chain Security (ASCS), a continuous, network-based approach that replaces periodic assessments with real-time visibility and shared intelligence.

For procurement, supplier risk and supply chain leaders, the model reflects a broader shift toward proactive risk management, where supplier resilience is monitored continuously rather than assessed through annual reviews and static questionnaires.

Brooks believes collaboration will be critical as supply chains become increasingly interconnected.

“A collaborative model means businesses can continuously share assurance data, identify systemic vulnerabilities earlier and respond to threats collectively rather than individually. In practice, that creates a much more dynamic and resilient approach to supply chain security, especially when attacks can escalate across entire ecosystems within hours.”

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