Panel Discussion
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (ET)

The Future State of Advanced Manufacturing in Canada

When it comes to the economics of manufacturing, business practices in Canada and the U.S. are not one and the same. Canada is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, which is a key driver of economic growth and competitiveness, as well as a source of employment and innovation. According to NGen, the industry-led organization leading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing, fabrication in Canada is undergoing a digital transformation that will enrich the lives of Canadians, deliver better products and good jobs, and generate economic growth. The panel of experts will share the future opportunities for the industry.

Panelists

Moderator

Stephanie Holko

Director, Project Development

NGen Canada

Max Ceron

Director, CWB Association

CWB Group

Diane Reko

Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors

Reko International Group Inc.

François Desmarais

Director for Trade and Industry Affairs

Canadian Steel Producers Association

Keynote
9:00 am – 10:00 am (ET)

A Conversation with Eric Lindros

Eric Lindros is one of the most legendary players in hockey history. He was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto, where he showed his amazing talent and passion for the game. He had a brilliant career that was cut short by injuries and concussions, but he still managed to score 865 points in 760 games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. Eric Lindros is a true hockey legend and a Canadian icon. Join us for conversation and meet and greet with this National Hockey League great.

Speaker

Eric Lindros

Former NHL, Olympic and Canadian National Hockey Team Member

Panel Discussion
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (ET)

Women of FABTECH: From Curiosity to Career: How I Found My Place in Manufacturing

Join us for a lively and inspiring discussion with our panelists, who come from diverse leadership backgrounds and roles in the FABTECH industries. They will share their stories of how they discovered their passion for manufacturing, overcame obstacles, achieved success, and learned valuable lessons along the way. This session is interactive and will give you the opportunity to ask questions and learn from their experience. Don’t miss this chance to hear from the women who make manufacturing happen!

Panelists

Moderator

Julie Pike

Senior Director, Event Strategy

SME

Lauren Tedesco

Senior Vice President

APMA

Vasudha Seth

Vice-President Strategy

ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Genevieve Ellis

Welding General Foreperson

Aecon Group Inc., Boilermakers

Panel Discussion
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (ET)

Fabrication Manufacturing in Canada: The Benefits and Challenges of Adopting Automation & Robotics

The benefits and challenges of adopting automation and robotics create some challenges for manufacturers. To overcome these challenges and remain competitive in the global market, fabrication manufacturing in Canada needs to adopt automation and robotics technologies that can improve productivity and quality while reducing costs and waste. Automation and robotics are not threats to fabrication manufacturing in Canada, but opportunities to enhance its competitiveness and resilience. By embracing automation and robotics technologies, fabrication manufacturing in Canada can create more value for its customers, workers, society, and environment. The panel will share best practices and case studies from some leading experts in the industry.

Panelists

Moderator

Christy Michalak

Director of Manufacturing Development Programs

NGen Canada

Nick McDonald

Business Line Manager- Welding & Cutting

ABB Robotics Inc.

Brian Sullivan

Cobot Sales Project Specialist

Lincoln Electric

4:30 pm – 6:00 pm (ET)

Networking Reception

Join us for a Show Floor Social where you can network with colleagues, meet new people, share ideas and create lasting connections with people from your industry all while enjoying complimentary drinks on the show floor.

Keynote
9:00 am – 10:00 am (ET)

“It’s a Small World”- Building Relationships and Exceptional Project Experiences

Join us as we explore the interconnected world of design and construction – it’s smaller than you might think. With a rich history spanning over 65 years in designing, fabricating, and constructing steel for commercial and industrial projects across North America, the Walters Group commitment to being a true partner echoes through every bolt and beam. Join us in this keynote as we explore the intricate web of connections within the construction industry, weaving together our journey of innovation and collaboration.

Speaker
Sam Barrett

Sam Barrett

Vice President Preconstruction & Sales

Walters Group

FABTECH Speakers

Stephanie Holko

Director, Project Development, NGen Canada

Stephanie is the Director of Project Development at Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen). She has 17 years of experience leading teams and projects in the steel industry. She loves connecting emerging technologies with existing manufacturing problems and believes the future of manufacturing is in the adoption of new ways of working. Stephanie holds a BASc – Chemical Engineering (University of Waterloo), and an MBA specializing in the Management of Innovation and New Technology (McMaster University). Stephanie is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, and is currently the President and Chair of the Board of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.

Max Ceron

Director, CWB Association, CWB Group

Max has been in the steel trades since the age of 17. Working as both a welder and fabricator, Max has extensive experience in all levels of the trades – from welders’ helper, welder/fitter, educator, manager, Business owner, and now National Director at the Canadian Welding Bureau. Max hopes to support, educate, and provide opportunities to all persons in the steel trades across Canada and beyond.

Diane Reko

Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors , Reko International Group Inc.

Diane Reko is the Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors of Reko International Group Inc., a diversified, technology-driven manufacturing company located in Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada.  The company utilizes technology combined with a long history of manufacturing to supply innovative automation equipment and the precision machining of large critical components to its customers in the automotive, transportation, power generation, aerospace and other industries.  Diane is proud to lead a team of skilled and innovative people that help to support the community of Windsor-Essex.  She believes that Reko’s support of other manufacturers also strengthens their communities and helps to provide critical economic independence and freedom.

François Desmarais

Director for Trade and Industry Affairs, Canadian Steel Producers Association

François Desmarais has joined the Canadian Steel Producers Association in 2024 as their Director for Trade and Industry Affairs. He previously held the roles of Public Affairs Director at Alstom and of Government Relations Advisor at Rheinmetall. Francois honed his public policy skills having worked extensively in various governmental organizations, from the Office of the Minister of Industry, the Senate of Canada, and the National Assembly of Quebec, as well as abroad for the European Commission, Canadian delegations to the OSCE and to the EU. Francois holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a certificate in German studies from the Université de Montréal, and a master’s degree in political science from Université Laval. He is fluent in French, English, and German.

Eric Lindros

Former NHL, Olympic and Canadian National Hockey Team Member

Retired National Hockey League great, Eric Lindros is a former NHL, Olympic and Canadian National Hockey team member and 2016 inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Over the course of his distinguished NHL career, Eric accumulated career totals of 372 goals and 493 assists for 865 points. The 6-time NHL All-star was the recipient of both the Lester B. Pearson award and the Hart Trophy. Eric has represented Canada on multiple occasions including the World Junior tournaments winning gold in both 1990 and 1991. He was also a member of the championship team in the 1991 Canada Cup as well as played in the World Cup in 1996. He represented Canada in three separate Olympic games winning both silver and gold medals.

Eric retired from hockey in 2007 after sustaining multiple concussions during his career. Upon his retirement, he donated $5 million in support of London Health Sciences Centre. Eric continues to make a difference with his support as an advocate of world-class sport concussion research, care and awareness. In 2016, he was appointed to the Rowan’s Law Advisory committee tasked with implementing Canada’s first concussion related legislation. Rowan’s Law came into effect across Ontario in 2019. In 2017, Eric was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. Mr. Lindros has received the Meritorious Service Medal, one of the highest civil decorations within the Canadian system of honors. His jersey, #88, was retired by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Western University the same year.

Julie Pike

Senior Director, Event Strategy, SME

Julie Pike is a passionate event professional and leader with more than 25 years’ experience including an early start in Human Resources. Julie’s career has been spent with two formidable organizations, first leading event producer RX and for the last 16+ years in various evolving roles for SME – Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Pike’s recent career projects include managing SME’s flagship event RAPID + TCT, North America’s largest and most influential additive manufacturing event as well as her ongoing role leading SME’s digital exploration in building out connections to foster 365 community engagements, extending the value of in-person events. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Guelph with a major in Psychology and boasts one of her early career highlights as serving on the Board of Directors (2003 – 2006) and as President of the Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM) in 2005-2006. However, far and away, Julie’s proudest and most important role in life is being a career mom to her beautiful teenage daughter.

Lauren Tedesco

Senior Vice President, APMA

Lauren Tedesco is the Senior Vice President at the APMA. She leads the Future of Work portfolio, building the first industry-wide digital learning program and established the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fund which invests in careers of those historically excluded. The latter won her the CADIA Impact Award – Champion for Diverse Talent. Lauren was recently named one of WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and recognized globally as one of Reuters DRIVE Award winners for women in auto. Profiled in the Globe and Mail as one of “Five Trailblazing Women in the Male Dominated Auto Industry”, Lauren was also named an Emerging Leader by The Peak and won the Next Generation award from the Italian Chamber of Commerce Ontario.

Vasudha Seth

Vice-President Strategy, ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Vasudha was first appointed to the Executive Team in 2018 as Director, Marketing and Strategy. She began her professional career at Dofasco in 1988 and has worked in diverse areas of the company, holding several senior leadership roles in Quality Systems, Corporate Strategy, Environment & Energy, and Sales and Marketing. During her career, she has been part of several transformation and continuous improvement initiatives. She has been part of ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s management team for the North American Automotive market, including the development of the NA Automotive strategy and supporting investments at ArcelorMittal Dofasco facilities.

Vasudha is responsible for ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s five-year strategic planning process, leading the development of evolving market strategies and new investment opportunities, collaborating to achieve net zero steelmaking by 2050, as well as the marketing of XCarb designated steel solutions. She currently serves on the Boards of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Institute for Steel Construction, and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association.

Genevieve Ellis

Welding General Foreperson , Aecon Group Inc., Boilermakers

Genevieve Ellis has been a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 128 Ontario as a Boilermaker Welder for over 10 years. Gen holds a BA in Sociology from Wilfrid Laurier University. In 2014, she attended Conestoga College and received her Welding Techniques Certificate and went on to complete her Pressure Systems Welder Apprenticeship through the Boilermakers Local 128 in 2017.

She is currently a Welding General Foreperson with SGRT (The Steam Generator Replacement Team) working on the Unit 3 MCR project at Bruce Power in Port Elgin Ontario. Gen has been a part of the Aecon team since 2021 working as a Welder, Welding Foreperson and Weld Supervisor on Unit 6 MCR Project. She performed the first Upper Feeder to Header weld in the Unit 6 reactor to kick off the feeder install campaign as well as completing the first Bellows to BAR seal weld on the Unit 6 reactor face. Gen has worked in many parts of the industry including wastewater treatment, oil and gas refining, steelmaking, and power generation.

Outside of work Gen is committed to supporting the advancement of women within the skilled trades. She is a member of Local 128’s Women’s Committee and holds the position of Recording Secretary. She is the co-chair of Aecon’s Women in Nuclear Committee at the Bruce Power Site. In 2023 at the Supporting Women in Trades Conference she was a Spotlight Speaker discussing the importance of overcoming barriers and stigmas in the non-traditional workplace and building a healthy career in the skilled trade through mentorship. Gen also completed the National Leadership Development Program in the inaugural class (2023) through the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum focusing on mentorship, communication, supervisory skills and mental health and well-being.

Christy Michalak

Director of Manufacturing Development Programs, NGen Canada

Christy Michalak is a passionate advocate for technology and innovation in Canada.  She has enjoyed almost two decades of diverse and global manufacturing experience, and today she blends her business and engineering knowledge with her creativity to make new opportunities for Canadians.  With a track record of pioneering breakthrough manufacturing solutions, Christy has not only pushed the boundaries of Canadian innovation, but has also dedicated herself to fostering collaboration, diversity, and ethics within the sector.  Christy serves as Director of Manufacturing Development Programs at NGen Canada, and is also an advisor for the Canadian Standards Association and the Canadian Robotics Council.

Massimiliano (Max) Moruzzi

CEO, Xaba

Massimiliano (Max) Moruzzi has an extensive 15+ year career as Lead Scientist and Business Innovator in the fields of Sustainable Materials and Disruptive Manufacturing Process Automation, with a deep experience in the Business-Technology interface and capacity to identify/align emerging technology needs with products and services. He co-founded Augmenta.ai & Xaba.ai with the goal of unlocking the full power of Generative (AI) and Intelligent Automation. Max is currently the CEO of Xaba (Xaba.ai) a startup focused on Intelligent Automation Enabling Sustainable Manufacturing.

Nick McDonald

Business Line Manager- Welding & Cutting , ABB Robotics Inc.

For over 30 years, Mr. Nick McDonald has been with ABB Robotics and in the forefront of industrial robotics technology in Canada. Currently, in his role as Business Line Manager for Welding & Cutting, he is responsible for the promotion and development of new businesses, new and advanced robotic technologies, as well as new and unique robotic applications within metal fabrication. As new manufacturing techniques and products are introduced into industry, he assists the manufacturing community in adopting new methods of automating involving robotic welding, vision and sensing, robotics communication and many other new and innovative technologies.

Nick has held various roles within ABB Canada involving robotics Service and Training, Product Development, Productivity Improvement, Business Development, as well as Sales & Marketing.
With over 500,000 robot systems installed worldwide and thousands of complete automation systems, ABB is the largest automation system provider to the automotive and manufacturing industries. In Canada, ABB Robotics is located in Brampton Ontario.

Brian Sullivan

Cobot Sales Project Specialist, Lincoln Electric

Brian Sullivan, Cobot Sales Project Specialist, Lincoln Electric, brings over 40 years of welding, automation, service, and sales expertise with Lincoln Electric.

Sam Barrett

Sam Barrett

Vice President Preconstruction & Sales , Walters Group

Sam is a decisive, dynamic and highly motivated construction & management professional with a ‘get it done’ attitude. He began his career as an undergraduate structural design engineer, serving the UK and Irish structural steel market with Severfield NI Ltd.

He later joined Walters Inc. as a Project Coordinator and very quickly moved into a Project Manager position. Having led teams on numerous complex projects across a wide variety of sectors, Sam is proven to excel in high pressure environments and actively seeks new and creative ways to overcome obstacles.

In his current role, Sam leads group pursuits on projects across North America, big and small. He is an excellent collaborator and communicator who is focused on building long standing relationships with team members, customers and suppliers.

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