Global food and drink giants head to Sheffield for AI manufacturing summit

Sheffield will take centre stage this month as the city welcomes senior leaders from some of the world’s largest food and drink brands for The Connected Performance Summit – Where AI Meets Motion.

The invite-only event is co-hosted by Dinnington-based industrial AI specialist IntelliAM and SKF, the world’s largest bearing and lubrication systems manufacturer. It will be held at the historic Cutlers’ Hall on Wednesday 24 September 2025 – the day before National Manufacturing Day.
Over 150 senior decision-makers are expected to attend, with more than 20% of the world’s top 100 food and drink brands represented, including Mars, PepsiCo, Weetabix, Hovis, Diageo, and ADM.

The Summit will explore how connected technologies and AI-driven maintenance are transforming modern manufacturing – boosting productivity, reducing costs, and improving reliability.

The full-day programme will include talks, case studies, and interactive sessions covering technology convergence, best-practice asset management, and using AI to boost output, reduce downtime, and tackle one of industry’s biggest hidden inefficiencies – friction.

Commenting on the event, Tom Clayton, CEO of IntelliAM, said: “We’re proud to co-host what will be the most important manufacturing event this year – not only in the region but across the whole of the UK.

“Sheffield’s rich industrial and engineering heritage makes it the perfect setting for the Summit. By bringing together global food and drink leaders with world-class manufacturing expertise right here in Yorkshire, we’re showing how the region continues to shape the future of industry.”

Focused on the art of the possible in manufacturing, the Summit will show how AI can be scaled across factory operations to deliver real performance gains. Industry figures estimate £14 billion of untapped potential in UK food and drink manufacturing, and calculate around 20% of global energy is lost through friction

“Reducing friction saves energy, boosts efficiency, and makes industry smarter and more competitive,” said Tim Veal (pictured), UK Lubrication Systems Business Manager at SKF.

“This Summit will show how AI and connected systems can drive performance and support a more sustainable, energy-efficient future for UK food and drink manufacturing – enabling them to do more with less.”

“The impact also goes beyond the factory floor,” added Tom. “Reducing friction and improving productivity in UK food and drink manufacturing translates to more affordable groceries, fewer empty shelves, less waste, and increased resilience to shocks – all of which better serve everyday consumers.”

Aquis-listed IntelliAM, founded in 2023 and built on the strong technical foundations of Sheffield-based 53 Degrees North, works with a quarter of the world's top 100 FMCGs and half of the top 12 food and beverage manufacturers.