PPM Media today announced Manufacturing Technology Insight: Next-Generation Supply Chain, the first national invitational summit featuring a content partnership with manufacturing research and advisory services firm, Manufacturing Insights, an IDC company. The event will take place from December 2-4, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Florida.

An invited and fully hosted audience of senior-level IT and business decision-makers from large and mid-sized manufacturers will join leading technology vendors and Manufacturing Insights' industry thought leaders to preview the latest supply chain strategies and technologies and build collaborative business partnerships.

The summit is focused upon one of the fastest-growing IT segments in global manufacturing. According to IDC, U.S. manufacturers are expected to spend $78 billion on information technology in 2007, with supply chain solutions representing nearly $2 billion and rising. Supply chain performance is directly linked to key business metrics, including product quality, productivity and operational profitability. Technologies to be showcased at the summit include RFID and sensor technology, product portfolio management and product life cycle management solutions, and more.

As the official content partner of Manufacturing Technology Insight: Next-Generation Supply Chain, Manufacturing Insights analysts will present findings from their latest IT research on global manufacturing and supply chain technologies, moderate industry panels, and hold private meetings with event participants. Participating analysts will include:

-- Bob Parker, Vice President of Research

-- Kimberly Knickle, Research Director

-- Simon Ellis, Practice Director, Supply Chain Strategies

"The supply chain across all manufacturing segments is undergoing a transformation with the shift from 'plan and push' to 'sense and respond' as companies calibrate their supply chain to actual demand signals," says Bob Parker, Vice President of Research, Manufacturing Insights. "This new summit will help manufacturing executives prepare for the right technology investments through exposure to the applications, benchmarks, best practices and business cases that are redefining the supply chain."

IT and business executives need to qualify in order to attend the summit, and all qualified attendees will receive a full participation package including airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and all event programming. In addition to the intensive content program, the three-day agenda is highlighted by pre-scheduled meetings between attending executives and vendors in case study presentations, one-on-one meetings for follow-up discussions, and a product demonstration and meeting area.

Manufacturing Technology Insight: Next-Generation Supply Chain is produced by PPM Media (http://www.ppmmedia.com), a leading producer of executive-level business-to-business events in the U.S. and around the world. The content partner of the event is Manufacturing Insights (http://www.manufacturing-insights.com), an IDC company providing strategic business and technology advice for the manufacturing industry.