
The Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) announced the opening of early bird registration for the 2024 Executive Conference set for Oct. 8–10 at Le Mount Stephen in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Early bird registration is open until Friday, July 12.
“Montréal is an exciting location for the 2024 Executive Conference,” says Michael Rabin, SPESA board secretary and treasurer. “Having spent most of my career in this city, I’ve seen the sewn products industry here overcome exceptional hurdles, like offshoring. I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself, through the adoption of new technologies, the establishment of large manufacturers and brands in the region and a collective drive to build on and grow a passionate workforce.”
The 2024 Executive Conference will feature a combination of keynote addresses and panel discussions focusing on challenges and opportunities facing the sewn products industry and will also include topics specific to the region. Attendees of the conference can expect to learn more about the manufacturing landscape in Quebec and across Canada and North America, how new technology is driving industry change and what needs to be done to secure the future of the industry—most notably, supporting the next generation of workers.
“Whether through the adoption of new business models or technologies, we’re seeing our industry across the Americas constantly changing. If we don’t actively participate in that change, we cannot remain competitive,” says SPESA chairman Mark Hatton. “At the 2024 SPESA Advancements Conference in Los Angeles, we discussed how companies can implement technology to boost their production and featured industry professionals committed to forward-thinking change. I look forward to continuing this conversation in Montréal, focusing on how we marry progress through technology with progress through people. How to provide the next generation with the tools they need to be successful is not only a topic of our executive conference, it remains a part of SPESA’s long-term strategy as an organization.”
SPESA will also be hosting an offsite tour at the 2024 Executive Conference to showcase the local industry and highlight some of Montréal’s key attractions. This optional activity is a value-add for all registrants interested in attending. More information is to come on where the offsite tour will be held.
The SPESA member early bird registration rate is $650. The non-member registration rate is $750. The early bird registration deadline is Friday, July 12, at which point rates will increase. Registration for both members and non-members includes all education, the offsite tour and networking events. A spouse rate of $275 is also available, which includes access to networking events.
An agenda for the 2024 Executive Conference will be available soon. Visit https://www.spesa.org/spesa-executive-conference to learn more, view past events and register.