In 2026, every Manufacturing Director is under pressure to “automate or evaporate.” However, the fear of a botched rollout is real. We’ve all seen it: a high-tech Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) sitting idle in a warehouse because it couldn’t navigate the transition between old factory flooring and the new extension. Are you looking to automate your manufacturing processes?
On Tuesday, 17 March, we are hosting an honest, engineering-led session to help you avoid that exact scenario. This isn’t a sales pitch. Instead, it’s a masterclass in de-risking your investment in manufacturing automation tools.
17 March: “Must-Attend” for Engineering Leaders Looking at Manufacturing Automation
Hosted by Laura Hayton (Transicon) and featuring hands-on expertise from Jan Louwen (Stäubli Robotics), and James Walklett (Transicon), this session skips the “AI hype” and gets into the grit of the factory floor.
Specifically, we will be tackling the questions people usually only ask after they’ve signed the cheque:
The Floor Reality: Will your 1970s concrete slab actually support a heavy-duty AGV?
The “People” Friction: How do you move from “The robot is taking my job” to “The AGV is doing my heavy lifting”?
The ROI Myth: Why “saving labour” is often the wrong metric, and what you should measure instead.
From OEM Insight to Implementation
Because Jan Louwen works across diverse global industries, he has seen the pitfalls that traditional sales brochures hide. As a result, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap from first conversation to full rollout.
Ultimately, this is about giving you the confidence to say “no” to the wrong technology, so you can say “yes” to the right growth.
Precision Over Promise
In short, manufacturing automation shouldn’t be a gamble. Therefore, if you are an Operations or Engineering Manager exploring AGVs, this is the most practical 60 minutes you will spend this quarter.
Who Should Join the Conversation?
This session is designed specifically for those responsible for the delicate balance between industrial innovation and operational stability. If you are under mission-critical pressure to improve productivity but are wary of ‘over-automating’ your site, this session is for you.
Manufacturing & Operations Directors
If you are the one signing the cheques, you need to understand the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). We will help you move beyond simple headcount reduction to see how AGVs impact long-term margin and bottom-line resilience.
Engineering & Automation Managers
For those who have to make the tech actually work. We will be getting under the hood of technical integration, discussing everything from floor load-bearing requirements to complex safety sensor protocols.
Logistics & Continuous Improvement (CI) Leaders
If your goal is eliminating bottlenecks, this is your roadmap. Discover how automated movement supports Lean manufacturing goals by synchronising material flow without the need for constant manual intervention.
Site & Plant Managers
You are on the front line of any rollout. We will cover the practicalities of site preparation, defining safety zones, and, most importantly, managing the ‘human-robot’ workspace to ensure your team feels empowered, not replaced.
Why 17 March is Different
Notably, this session is CPD-accredited, which means it counts towards your formal professional development. However, the real value lies in the ‘unfiltered’ nature of the conversation.
Because we are bringing an integrator (Transicon) and an OEM (Stäubli) together, you will see the full lifecycle of a project, warts and all. Ultimately, we are not here to sell you a machine; we are here to help you build a business case that actually holds up under scrutiny on the factory floor.
