Go to DetroitRegionalPartnership.com
Decision-makers descend on Detroit to shape the future of mobility, manufacturing and more
The Detroit region has become a hub for intelligent conversations and strategic planning discussions for business leaders, decision-makers, government officials and more who are intimately involved in shaping the future of industries like manufacturing and mobility in America.
And why not? Detroit has long been a shining example of America’s industrial strength, thanks largely to its rich automotive history, and over the last decade has drawn on that automotive and manufacturing excellence to position itself as the epicenter for the advanced mobility industry.
“We’ve always been a manufacturing town. We still are,” said Colton Dale, business development manager for the Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP). “When people think about how we re-industrialize as a nation, and how we build stuff again, they think of Detroit.”
In mid-July, Dale attended the second annual Reindustrialize Conference. Unlike most other conferences where anyone can buy a ticket and show up, organizers of the event were very intentional about who could attend and be part of these important conversations. Approximately 1,200 were allowed to attend, while approximately 6,000 were turned away.
Dale said that discussions at the event mainly focused on how we, as a society and a nation, build back our industrial capacity – which has been decreasing for decades – to better compete on a global scale with other industrial powerhouses.
It wasn’t lost on Dale that those leading these discussions chose Detroit as the backdrop for identifying solutions to reverse course and overcome the challenges facing the American manufacturing industry.
“It was exciting to see people from all over the world converge in Detroit to have these critical discussions about the future of a traditional cornerstone American industry,” said Dale. “It created special opportunities to speak to Detroit’s history, show where we’ve been and socialize where we want to go.”
While the Detroit region’s rich industrial heritage makes it well-positioned to serve as the nucleus for America’s manufacturing comeback, it also positions it well to serve as the core for another emerging and rapidly evolving industry: mobility.
This year alone, major mobility events like the Global Mobility Forum at the Detroit Auto Show, WCX World Congress and MOVE America have drawn attendees from all over the world to Detroit for thoughtful, collaborative and multi-faceted discussions about the future of the mobility industry.
The Battery Show, which has been held in Detroit for 15 years now, has also become an industry staple for those operating in advanced battery and electric vehicle technology. Representatives from General Motors, LG Energy Solution, the U.S. Department of Energy and SK On provided keynote addresses at this year’s event, which hosted over 21,000 attendees, 1,300 exhibitors and 150 speakers from around the world.
According to GEM’s Future Mobility Technology Study, battery-related innovations and technology advancements are expected to experience significant growth over the next five years. The study specifically points to battery chemistry and design and hydrogen fuel cell systems as two key advanced mobility technologies with high growth potential in the coming years. In fact, while battery chemistry and design currently sit at 8% market penetration, it is expected to grow to 36% by 2030.
“From cars and boats to lawnmowers and even coolers, we’re in the midst of a battery-powered electrification boom that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon,” said Bernard Swiecki, vice president of mobility and research at GEM. “The Battery Show in particular provides the perfect forum to gauge the state of the battery industry and where future innovations and technologies are headed in the year ahead.”
In addition to pillars focused on battery design and development, production, software and recycling, it should come as no surprise that The Battery Show also featured a track focused on manufacturing.
“There’s an incredible amount of overlap and interconnected work happening across the entire value chain of the mobility industry,” said Swiecki. “The existing infrastructure and capabilities the Detroit region possesses provides the perfect foundation to support the growing advanced mobility industry – and GEM’s work is building on that strong foundation to create a one-stop shop for all things mobility-related to truly situate Detroit as the global epicenter of mobility.”