The purpose of this workshop is to develop a holistic view of industrial supply chains (SCs) in the Midlands region and identify strategic opportunities to establish SC resilience.

Since the global economic crisis, industrial SCs have faced tremendous change, as we move into the next stage of our industrial evolution. Technological innovation enabling greater autonomy and connectivity coupled with the UK’s have-faced vision urges businesses to rethink how their SCs can enable greater sustainability, productivity, and prosperity.

The need for change has been accelerated by the recent disruptions of COVID 19 and Brexit, which pose challenges and opportunities for the Midlands region. Now is the time for the region to take stock, considering how it can ‘build back better’ and establish resilient SCs for sustainable growth.

To support this vision, the WMG Supply Chain Research Group (SCRG), University of Warwick has partnered with Midlands Engine to identify potential interventions for increasing resilience of regional SCs. This workshop is designed to stimulate creative thinking and co-development of ideas around the following themes:

• What does Supply Chain mean to the region?
• What value does Supply Chain create for regional development?
• What are key Supply Chain challenges considering the impacts of global disruptions (e.g. COVID 19 & Brexit)?
• What can business do to mitigate risks and increase Supply Chain Resilience?
• What support can local authority provide to businesses?

You have been selected as a critical voice in one of the main stakeholder groups. The output of the workshop will have both political and practical implications for regional development.