AI Reality Check
For B2B distribution and manufacturing leaders
There's no shortage of noise about AI right now. This is a free half day inside a working robotics lab to see past it: real deployments, real case studies, and a proper look at what AI actually does for a supply chain business.
Thursday 15 October 2026 · 1pm to 5pm · Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry · Free · Limited to 50 seats
Our hosts
The Manufacturing Technology Centre helps UK businesses navigate government funding for automation and AI investment. If your business is evaluating AI and the investment case is the sticking point, bring that question to October 15th.
Presented with
A practical afternoon
Every system we explore is already running in production, not staged for the day. Stand next to the engineers who built it, ask the questions that matter to your operation, and see exactly where it holds up before you spend a penny.
The venue
MTC's labs run some of the most advanced robotics and automation in the UK, and outside visitors rarely get past the lobby. For one afternoon in October, you will be inside them.
Just off M6 Junction 2 · 23 minutes from Birmingham Airport
Real robots.Real automation.Running live.
Agenda
A half-day afternoon built around a networking lunch, an opening session from MTC, case studies from our technology partners, a tour of MTC's innovation labs and an AI panel with our technology leaders. Timings may shift slightly as we finalise the day with MTC.
13:00 · Confirmed
01. Arrival and networking lunch
13:45 · Confirmed
02. Welcome from your host, Kevin McGirl
13:50 · Confirmed
03. Opening session: Sean Culey, Director of Supply Chain, MTC
Thriving through disruption in distribution and manufacturing.
14:20 · Confirmed
04. Case studies from our technology partners
Continuum, with Ben Firman on turning warranty and returns into a competitive advantage, and Ambit, with Jenit Ramaiya on AI for enhancing customer experience. 20 minutes each.
15:00 · Confirmed
05. Tour of MTC's innovation labs
Including the latest AI and robotics warehouse technology.
15:30 · To be confirmed
06. AI panel, moderated by Kevin McGirl
With Rich Sinclair and James Samuels. Technology leaders share insights on applying AI to stock optimisation, demand forecasting, sales enablement, automated reverse logistics, customer experience, pricing, product management, B2B ecommerce, sustainability and more.
16:15 · Confirmed
07. Tea and networking
17:00 · Confirmed
08. Close
Speakers
The people in the room with you on 15 October. Final line-up confirmed closer to the date.
Kevin McGirl
Host & moderator · Aventyr Partners
Exited tech founder with 40 years of experience deploying software for distributors and manufacturers in Europe and North America. He now acts as a bridge between the latest AI technology players and progressive supply chain leaders looking for a first mover competitive advantage.
Host & moderator
Sean Culey
Director of Supply Chain · Manufacturing Technology Centre
Sean leads supply chain strategy at MTC and is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management. He is the UK's only certified SCOR Master Instructor and the author of Transition Point: From Steam to the Singularity.
Speaking on: Thriving through disruption in distribution and manufacturing
Ben Firman
Vice President of Sales · Continuum
Ben leads go-to-market at Continuum, where his team helps distributors and manufacturers turn warranty and returns from a cost centre into a source of margin and customer loyalty. He'll bring real-world case studies from US distributors already putting this into practice.
Speaking on: Turning warranty and returns into a competitive advantage
Jenit Ramaiya
CEO & MD · Ambit Software
Jenit leads Ambit Software, which builds enterprise AI and CRM platforms, including nexaMFG for manufacturers, helping distribution and manufacturing businesses run smarter with AI-driven customer experience and automation.
Speaking on: AI for enhancing customer experience
To be confirmedRich Sinclair
Co-CEO · EO Group
Rich is Co-CEO of EO Group, where he leads CTRL Commerce, Euroffice and Office Power. Over the past decade he has taken the group through two major pivots, from a pure-play retailer to a PE-backed group running a SaaS B2B ecommerce platform that connects manufacturers, wholesalers, resellers and end customers across Europe.
Speaking on: AI panel
To be confirmedJames Samuels
Co-Founder · Vizibli
James is co-founder of Vizibli, an AI-based supply chain intelligence platform giving companies real-time visibility of carbon and cost hotspots. He previously founded and scaled Claritum, a procurement platform processing over £1bn a year for 1,300 companies across 70 countries, including Canon, JP Morgan and Nestle.
Speaking on: AI panel, sustainability and procurement
Is this for you?
- You run, or shape decisions for, a distribution or manufacturing business.
- You're weighing where AI fits in your operation and what it will actually return.
- You'd rather see systems running than sit through vendor pitches.
- You want an afternoon with peers facing the same decisions.
Reserve your seat
Free, half a day, limited to 50 seats. Once they're gone, they're gone.
Thursday 15 October 2026 · 1pm to 5pm · Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry · Free · Limited to 50 seats
Take it with you
Share it with your team
The brochure has the full agenda, speakers and venue details. Send it to a colleague, or save the date so it doesn't slip.
PDF · 4 pages
Put your brand in the room
This is the first of a series. We bring a small number of technology partners into the room alongside MTC, in front of the people who buy and specify AI for distribution and manufacturing. If you are interested in participating in future events as a partner, speaker or host, get in touch.