Register Now for the TEC NEXT Conference 2024 Exploring Possibilities February 6-7, 2024 – Baton Rouge

This Event Reminder is Sponsored by:

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Industry technology leaders from multiple manufacturing companies based in Louisiana are hosting this dynamic two-day event to gather experts from industry and technology for a high value, “TED” conference-like gathering. Local, national, and global leaders from the chemical and petrochemical manufacturing industry and technology leaders will share what they are developing and installing currently as new technology-driven tools and processes.

Under the broad category of Industry 4.0, topics such as “Plant of the Future,” Industry Internet of Things (IIOT), Cybersecurity, Virtual Reality Simulations, Safety , Site-Wide Connectivity and Augmented Reality visual tools will be explored.

THE TECHNOLOGY & ENERGY CONFERENCE ON

• IIOT
• Industry 4.0
• Construction 2.0
• Safety

INVITED GUESTS

• Decision makers in downstream petrochemical sector, IT/CIO/Data/Digital
• Technology & Digital leaders in Industry 4.0
• Gulf Coast technology and industry

TUESDAY, February 6th
12:00 PM Registration Opens and Exhibitor Booths Open
12:45 PM – 1:00 PM Opening Remarks & Welcome
1:00 PM -1:30 PM Performance Report – Digital Innovations in Gulf Coast Industrial Complexes
Speakers:
George Perrett, Operational Excellence, Peri USA
Outline of AFPM’s initiative to find solutions to increase productivity whilst reducing headcount,
highlights five best practices transferred from overseas operations to Louisiana.
Discussion on Operational Excellence, working with global industry to identify and promote safe, efficient
and best practices that allow increased productivity with a reduced workforce.
Presentation showcases digital innovations, new construction processes and new products being
implemented
1:30 PM -2:15 PM Industry 4.0 Panel: Digitalization, Automation & Tech in Operations
Speakers:
Jacob Gleason, Capital Projects Digital Advisor, Chevron/Chair Technology Committee, CII
Paul Plauche, Director of Digital Services, Turner Industries
David Mustain, Digitalization/Innovation Lead, Shell
Key Panel Topics:
● Efficiency in Operations
● Robotics & Automation
● Digitalization of Projects & Construction
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM Break and Exhibitor Booths Open
2:45 PM – 4:15 PM TEC Talks
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM Innovative New Approaches to Construction Workforce Development
Speaker:
Lisa Strite, Chief Learning Officer, NCCER
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM Dull, Dirty & Dangerous? Using Robotics is the Future for Industrial Cleaning
Speaker:
Mike Arcediano, VP Operations, EcoRobotics
Robotic technology is being focused on providing safe and environmentally-friendly industrial cleaning
and bulk removal solutions.
Using remote-controlled robotic technology, eliminates the need for human entry into confined spaces by
providing safe, efficient, and cost effective alternatives.
Robotic cleaning systems are engineered to remove waste more effectively than human crews and are
able to work non-stop across shifts even in hazardous environments.
Real-world case studies on successful deployments for tank sludge removal.
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM Elevate Your Training With Immersive Learning
Speaker:
Sarah Green Toews, VP of Learning Innovation, Alliance Safety Council
Research shows that immersive learning increases retention and leads to a positive learning experience.
Yet, many organizations struggle to secure the budget and scale such technology. 3D simulated online
learning can elevate your training – without headsets or hardware. Legally defensible immersive learning
at scale is possible.
This session will cover:
● What to look for in immersive learning content
● How to implement and scale immersive learning
● How to ensure success – Best Practices
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Navigating the Unknown & Avoiding the Money Pit: How to Successfully Shop for Software Solutions
Speaker:
Gina Martiny, Partner, Clean Coders Studio, LLC
● How to efficiently and effectively add to your tech stack for new digitalization initiatives?
● What benefits are industrials getting from smarter software decisions?
● What to avoid to ensure your software solution partners can really perform?
Learn best practices and proven easy steps for managing software options, custom software vs SaaS, and
the important questions to ask both internally and to any development team before signing a contract
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM The Use of IIoT to Reduce Maintenance Scope
Speaker:
Zack Steffen, Director of Industrial Group, Trackonomy Systems
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM Stupid, Awesome AI! Solving Business Issues When the Tech Is Changing Daily
Speaker:
Stuart Page, Software Engineer, Revelry
No matter size or industry, AI is all the rage in business – and AI-driven software is in high demand. But
how do you create the right (and best) solution when the tech is changing daily?
In this talk, we’ll look at both the challenges and joys that can come when you embrace (and even revel
in!) the unknowns of emerging tech as you solve industrial business challenges.
4:15 – 4:45 PM Break and Exhibitor Booths Open
4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Safety & Training Tech Panel: Today’s Connected & Augmented Workforce
Speakers:
Coila LaFleur, Enterprise Architect, ExxonMobil
Shane Firmin, Director of Workforce Development, Brown & Root Industrial Services
Sean McCoy, Solutions Manager IIOT, CB Technologies- moderator
Energy companies and organizations with large scale manufacturing facilities are recognizing the
benefits of digital transformation to achieve greater safety, efficiency, optimization and cost reduction.
In this era of workforce disruption and churn, the static or paper processes of old are no longer sufficient
to attain production goals.
The digitalization of frontline processes has become a must-have to keep up with the velocity of change –
but not just digitalization … smart digitalization.
Connected worker solutions enabled by connectivity, data analytics and AI are driving collaboration and
informed decision making on the frontline for sustainable change, but what are the essential
considerations you will need to make as you plan your connected worker project delivery?
Key Topics:
● Workforce Optimization & Training
● Connected Workforce
● Utilizing safety tech and wearable technology
● Bridging the Knowledge gap and onboarding/training with technology
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Cocktail Reception and Exhibitor Booths Open

WEDNESDAY, February 7th
7:45 AM Breakfast and Exhibitor Booths Open
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Rethink & Automate: Using AI to Make Assets More Reliable & Cost Effective
Speaker:
Charles Masters, Senior VP, IBM
The goal: higher productivity and better decision-making at lower cost and greater speed
Currently, only 54% of AI projects make it from pilot to production, and the ROI on enterprise-wide
initiatives averages 5.9%, well below the typical 10% cost of capital. To be impactful, AI should integrate
into existing workflows and systems, automating key processes across business and IT – for growth and
cost reduction.
How can you prioritize the most rewarding opportunities to streamline work, increase operational
efficiency and improve customer experiences – and then put those opportunities into action and optimize
for continuous improvement?
Learn how AI is being deployed throughout Industrial and Manufacturing projects successfully
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM AI Playbook for Industry Panel
Speakers:
Teddy Huerta, Senior Solutions Manager, Detect Technologies
Eric Allen, CEO & Founder Ei- Environmental Intellect
Charles Masters, Senior VP, IBM
Leo Holzenthal, President & CEO, MS Benbow- moderator
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM Break and Exhibitor Booths Open
10:15 AM – 11:45 AM TEC Talks
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Institutionalizing Manufacturing Excellence: Capturing, Transferring and Preserving KnowHow in a Digital Era
Speakers:
Clint Jeffus, Operations Director, Voovio
○ Navigating the challenges of workforce turnover and scarce Subject Matter Experts
○ Retaining and preserving undocumented, equipment-specific knowledge
○ Locking in best-practices in operations & maintenance
○ Impact: successful implementations of a digital knowledge capture platform within oil &
gas and industrial manufacturing
By 2030, 75% of senior SMEs will have retired.
How do you help prepare your workforce?
Technology offers several proven solutions including; using digital replicas & simulators to enable
the process industry to onboard operators more efficiently, reduce downtime, increase productivity
& ensure competency faster than ever before.
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Unveiling the Connection Between Lemon Juice, Online Training, and Artificial Intelligence  
Speakers:
Kathy Trahan, CEO, Alliance Safety Council
Robert Day, Managing Director, Integrity Advocate
A discussion focused on leveraging the strengths and addressing the challenges of
utilizing artificial intelligence to maintain the efficacy and legal defensibility of online
training and assessments.
This session will:
● Show how AI enhances the integrity of online training
● Address the challenges of using AI as a proctoring solution
● Demonstrate how human and artificial intelligence can (and should) exist
cohesively
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM Additive Manufacturing/3D Scanning for Industrial Projects: The Beautiful Disruptor
Speaker:
Jace Dugas, CEO, Additive Innovators
How companies across the globe are implementing Additive Manufacturing and 3D
scanning to reduce cost, reduce carbon footprint, reduce lead times, reduce logistics,
reduce inventory, and combat the labor shortage.
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Using 3D Digital Infrastructure Twins to Eliminate Risks & Plan Critical Operations
Speaker:
Brad Holleman, P.E., P.L.S.,Forte and Tablada, Inc/DigiTwin
Digital Twins are the future of Infrastructure Management.
Learn how Owners, Operators, Engineers, and Large Agencies are utilizing Digital Twins to enhance Data
Quality, Data Integrity, Data Access, and Data Resiliency.
Real world cost-effective, time-sensitive planning tools so you can eliminate risks before construction
begins and train operators before they encounter real-life scenarios.
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM Data-Centric Solutions for Construction Planning, Execution, and Turnover – A Case Study of Process System Tracking and Completion
Speaker:
Dr. Srikanth Bangaru, Director of Construction Technology, Inncircles Technologies
Managing field-intensive projects can be complex, owing to the sheer number of variables involved, such
as the scale, the volume of transactions, the labor force, etc. These projects generate millions of data
points every day. Therefore, it is essential to manage the data effectively to make informed decisions to
complete the project.
This session will discuss the data-centric solution designed on the Inncircles Arena platform using the
industrial process system construction and turnover case study. The solution demonstrates the data flow
across various construction phases and different teams. In addition, we will talk about data usage for
analytics, integration with PowerBI, and reporting.
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM The Future of Industrial Safety Tech & AI, Making a Difference Today
Speaker:
Teddy Huerta, Senior Solutions Manager, Detect Technologies
In industries across the globe, worker safety is a massive unsolved global problem leading to 340 million
occupational accidents annually, accounting for over 1.2 trillion USD in estimated losses. The post
pandemic world has seen many businesses trying to adapt to an increasingly digital world with employee
safety and well-being replacing many pre-existing priorities.
Businesses that thrive in this new age have realized that prioritizing safety in the workplace is prerequisite for operational excellence.
Leaders in the process and manufacturing industries face multiple challenges in ensuring safety and
efficiency. These challenges include gathering all the required information, formulating the right
strategies to reduce or eliminate risks and prevent incidents, and managing human factor-related issues
such as individual perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Additionally, there are hundreds, if not
thousands, of people working in a small footprint of the site with vertical assets, making it extremely
difficult to remain informed of all safety violations occurring in a facility.
To overcome these challenges, organizations have established programs for periodic manual safety
audits. However, these are not always effective in improving the safety culture of the site, as the findings
do not always reflect the reality of the site. Since the data collected from discrete systems across the
plant are manual in nature, there is a good probability that the set of data collected is inaccurate and
biased. This has led to safety leaders being faced with a plateau in safety performance where the last
few decades have not seen a significant shift to safer behaviors despite our best efforts.
The need of the hour for safety teams is a solution that can, on a continuous basis, gather data on safety
observations, as per the safety standards of the facility, that occur in critical areas of the site, make this
data easily accessible to safety teams and provide them with relevant insights based on the data to
formulate effective strategies and actions. But how?
This task may seem impossible to many today; but by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer
Vision (CV) industries can achieve the above and thus using a digital approach to maintain and operate
facilities, will be of paramount importance in the restructured operations of the industry.
Such a digital approach is offered by Detect Technologies’ T-Pulse® platform. In the T-Pulse®, data is
captured by visual sources such as fixed cameras, targeting regions of high risk and high work density,
and uploaded to a cloud environment for processing. The results are returned to the safety teams in the
form of risk-categorized observations automated as per safety standards such as OSHA, IOGP 577, and
COHS. These actionable insights enable the safety teams to take the necessary proactive actions and
improve the safety culture of the facility to reduce the risks of workplace injuries.
This novel AI technology has been deployed in facilities across North America, Europe, the Middle East,
and Southeast Asia. Organizations such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Bechtel, Chevron, Raizen, Subsea 7, and
many more leverage this AI technology today.
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM Break and Exhibitor Booths Open
12:15 PM -1:00 PM Closing Keynote: Decarbonizing Louisiana’s Industrial Economy: Challenges and Opportunities
Speaker:
Greg Upton, Interim Executive Director and Associate Professor-Research
Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana State University
1:00 PM Closing Remarks