Overview

The Barbados Manufacturers’ Association Trade & Innovation Summit (TIS) evolved from our premiere annual event BMEX. It aims to meet the changing needs of our membership, other stakeholders, and our national, regional and international customers.

This year’s theme, “Our Global Village”, allows us to create a space that will foster increase trade for local manufacturers, while embracing international manufacturing as we work together with our counterparts regionally and globally to ensure the availability of goods, development, and expansion of local sectors.

Our Summit has a strong development approach with the following objectives:

• Promote innovation in the manufacturing sector by connecting manufacturers with global experts who will share insights on areas critical to the future of manufacturing.
• Present smart and sustainable technologies capable of transforming local manufacturing processes.
• Provide participants with networking opportunities with companies, distributors in current and potential export markets.
• Showcase equipment which can assist manufacturers improve the capacity, efficiency of their businesses and quality of their products.
• Provide opportunities to generate new customers for businesses through the showcase of products to the public.
• Increase trade for local, regional and international businesses.
• Expand traditional manufacturing sectors through new market opportunities.
• Find solutions to global issues through the manufacturing of innovative products.
• Transform local and regional manufacturing by acting on technology transfer frameworks embedded in various trade agreements signed by Barbados.

The Summit is the first of its kind regionally because of its strong focus on the development and expansion of manufacturing. It is focused on building a global manufacturing network that is key to facilitating global market activity defined by interconnected functions, operations and transactions needed to bring products from prototyping to final delivery. The Summit allows for the rethinking supply chain management through exposing participants to alternative global partners for the sourcing of raw material etc. We are bringing players together in one place to facilitate opportunities for businesses which will make the difference to economic growth.

The Trade and Innovation Summit also allows us to celebrate our traditional sectors as they have played an important role in the development of our economy while acting as a launching pad for other businesses. It brings to manufacturers professional advice from global experts as it pertains some of the most topical areas of manufacturing. Moreover, it will allow all participating local, regional and global manufacturers the opportunity to showcase their products, advertise a range of equipment that can enhance various manufacturing processes and bring funding institutions in one place for them to access.

There are three main elements of the Summit:

• The Pre-Summit Activities commence on July 01^st 2022 and will run to October 10^th;
• Delegate Cultural exchange sessions will commence on October 10^th and end on the 19^th; and the
• Summit Dialogue and Exhibition commence on October 21^st and end on October 23^rd.