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Len Reo

Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Len Reo, President, The Attivo Group

Robotics as a Partner, Not a Replacement, for Manufacturing Jobs

SOUTHEAST Session: Manufacturers today face a critical workforce challenge. An aging labor pool, persistent skills shortages, and post-pandemic attrition have created gaps that traditional hiring alone cannot solve. These pressures demand innovative approaches to sustaining productivity and competitiveness. Robotics offers a practical, scalable solution, not as a replacement for people, but as a partner that augments human capabilities. Collaborative robots (cobots) are designed to work alongside operators, taking on repetitive, physically demanding, or hazardous tasks. This partnership allows employees to focus on higher-value activities such as quality control, process improvement, and customer engagement. Studies show that human–robot teams significantly reduce idle time and improve throughput compared to all-human work environments. Real-world examples illustrate the shift. Chipotle’s “Autocado” robot automates the tedious process of cutting and coring avocados, while staff concentrate on quality and service. On manufacturing floors, cobots assist with material handling, precision assembly, and inspection; areas where ergonomics and consistency are critical. Rather than eliminating jobs, robotics transforms them, creating safer workplaces and more sustainable operations. This session, “Robotics as a Partner, Not a Replacement, for Manufacturing Jobs,” will explore how manufacturers can strategically adopt robotics to address workforce shortages without diminishing employee value. Attendees will gain insights into the benefits of cobot integration, practical considerations for implementation, and the long-term potential of human–robot collaboration. The presentation emphasizes that the future of manufacturing is not a choice between people and machines, but a partnership that strengthens both.

Why Your Operators Are Still Your Best Manufacturing Investment

SOUTHEAST Session: Your next efficiency breakthrough isn't hiding in a machine learning algorithm. It's walking around your shop floor right now. While manufacturing obsesses over AI, 85% of operations still depend on human expertise. The CNC programmer who knows exactly when to adjust spindle speeds. The veteran welder who spots perfect joints in seconds. The setup technician whose alignment cuts cycle times. These operators don't just run your processes, they've mastered them. They hold the institutional knowledge that separates good production from great production. But your systems can't see what they know, creating a costly blind spot. Mid-market manufacturers nationwide face the same challenge: valuable knowledge trapped in individual heads instead of being scaled digitally. The result is lost efficiency because operator expertise can’t integrate with core systems. Companies overcoming this aren’t layering more machine learning. They’re building systems that amplify human intelligence. They digitize workflows, connect teams to real-time data, and create interfaces designed around how operators think and work, not the other way around. In this session, Docket will reveal how shop floor digitization platforms close the gap between operator expertise and digital execution. You’ll gain practical insights into smart manufacturing systems that support your frontline, enabling faster setups, higher accuracy, and smoother production. At a time when manufacturers chase the next big overhaul, don’t overlook the team that got you here. The goal isn’t replacing human insight, it’s designing systems that can multiply it.

How Lean Teams Cut Downtime and Boost Output with Smart Maintenance

SOUTHEAST Session: Unexpected breakdowns, rising costs, and limited asset visibility continue to be a challenge for manufacturers, especially as teams face mounting pressure to do more with less – fewer technicians, tighter budgets, and limited time. But with the right technology and a practical approach to reliability, lean teams can shift from fighting fires to building long-term, operational resilience into every layer of production. In this session, we’ll showcase how manufacturers are using modern CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) tools to drive higher uptime, extend asset life, and reduce reactive work – all without needing additional headcount or new equipment. We’ll demonstrate how top performing teams have digitized preventive maintenance schedules, deployed QR code-enabled work orders, and built mobile-first maintenance workflows that keep machines running and teams aligned. Whether you’re still using spreadsheets or looking to get more out of your current system, this session will provide a clear blueprint for building a smart, scalable maintenance program.