Embracing AI to strengthen the Canadian Manufacturing Sector
- Lee StJames
- Oct 13
- 4 min read
Author: Lee St James
Date Published: October 13, 2025
October is Manufacturing Month and we have lots of encouraging news to share about the smart manufacturing ecosystem. The manufacturing sector is transforming at an unprecedented pace — powered by AI, robotics, and Industrial IoT (IIoT). We recently attended the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS 2025) a bi-annual event held at the Toronto Congress Centre. We are pleased to share this update with our customers and followers who are preparing to embrace artificial intelligence and understand what that means for strengthening the Canadian manufacturing sector.
According to the 2026 Advanced Manufacturing Outlook Report which was just published by Canadian Manufacturing and Plant magazines, Canadian manufacturing companies who participated in the survey "continue to show strong engagement with digital transformation and advanced technologies. Forty percent say their company is in the Developing stage of digital transformation, while another 39% are Established, Advanced or Leading. Nearly 80% of respondents are applying IIoT in some form, most often to improve
efficiency, maintenance and data visibility. Technology investment remains a priority, with 97% planning to invest in new technologies over the next three years. Artificial intelligence is the fastest-growing area of interest, with 64% planning investments—a 13% increase over last year. Robotics and automation, as well as cybersecurity, are also top priorities."
"Canadian manufacturers are embracing advanced manufacturing, clean technology and digital transformation at a pace that reflects both necessity and resilience."
Scott McNeil-Smith
Vice-President, Manufacturing Sector Performance
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC)
At CMTS 2025, we were able to see first-hand some of the innovative technologies that are being embraced as part of strengthening Canadian manufacturing competitiveness and productivity. Here are just a few examples of the solutions on display:
Safety is central to daily operations in any manufacturing site. Even more so, when organizations are undergoing major transformations. At CMTS, we were pleased to meet the folks at Ontario's Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and to learn about their curated list of Robotics and Machine Safety training tools and resources.
"Successful Canadian manufacturers have always kept a close eye on output, new orders and staffing levels. The manufacturers that win in the future will be just as focused on data, delivering a better customer experience and augmenting their workforce with AI... Unifying data and making it accessible to all relevant stakeholders should be job one for firms that want to transcend current economic headwinds and get ahead of competitors."
Rory Macleod, Area Vice President, Sales – Accelerated Industries, Salesforce
Flavio Arssani, Smart Manufacturing Portfolio Manager with Siemens delivered an engaging presentation titled: "The Digital Labyrinth: How do we find the path to smart manufacturing?". In a 2022 survey by Siemens 43% of businesses reported digital transformation 'fatigue' - a number that Flavio says in now closer to 50%. The pace of change is so dramatic that people don't know what is the right path forward. He suggests that we can embrace complexity as a competitive advantage. He offered recommendations on how to find the path to smart manufacturing, which I summarize in four key steps:
Invest in education and modernizing technology
Have a growth mindset, embrace learning
IT/OT convergence - the IT department can no longer be separated from the technologies used in operating departments
Leverage data and analytics to optimize production, accelerate product development and ensure sustainability
The impressive solutions on display at CMTS provided something for every industry.
Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)
We were delighted to meet the team from OCI who shared some exciting funding opportunities available to Ontario companies that are looking to upskill or reskill existing staff. Their Future Ready program provides up to $10,000 in matched funding for companies to hire external, third-party subject matter experts (like GlobalDWS!) for employee training in areas relating to the adoption and implementation of "Critical Technologies". OCI are looking to propel four key sectors: Mining, Advanced Manufacturing (non-auto), Agri-Food, and Construction. The critical technology areas are: 5G & advanced networks, AI, Blockchain, Robotics, Cybersecurity, and Quantum.
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. They believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential. SME develops the partnerships and solutions that work to ensure North American manufacturing competitiveness, security and superiority on the global stage through supporting events like CMTS, media outreach, membership, workforce development, and the SME Education Foundation. For more information, visit: https://www.sme.org/
Embracing AI in Manufacturing
On August 27th, GlobalDWS hosted a webinar titled: "Discover the Skills Driving the Smart Manufacturing Boom". This session was part of our Embracing AI Webinar Series and brought together GlobalDWS leaders in smart manufacturing and technology innovation to explore where the industry is headed and how to prepare for success in the Canadian manufacturing sector. The topics included:
• Current market trends and predictions for the future of smart manufacturing
• Real-world insights from industry experts in AI, robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT)
• The top skills employers are seeking today
We invite you to review the session by watching this video recording:
On October 15th, GlobalDWS is pleased to welcome over 60 participants to our 19-week Smart Manufacturing Workforce Development training program. This fully-funded program is a combined virtual and on-site training program offered to support the upskilling of Ontario's manufacturing workforce. We are delighted to support these folks and to help prepare them for career success in smart manufacturing. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and/or Instagram to hear more about their journey!
GlobalDWS is committed to enabling smart workplaces. Please contact us if you would like to discuss developing a technology adoption roadmap, deploying solutions and/or training your workforce in smart manufacturing technologies.
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