Takeaways from The Connected Worker: Houston, 2023

Takeaways from the 2023 Connected Worker Show in Houston, Texas

The Connected Worker Show 2023 was held in Houston, Texas, on March 29-30, 2023, to discuss the future of work in the industrial sector. The event provided attendees with the opportunity to learn from industry experts, share experiences and network with peers, either on the show floor or over at the Hopdoddy burger bar or Seasons 52. Otterbox, famous for their protective iPhone cases, was giving out new gloves that will allow techs in the field to protect their hands while still operating touch-sensitive devices like tablets or phones.

The first day of the conference began with registration, check-in, and networking breakfast. Nicole Bamford, the Operations Director of Oil & Gas IQ, welcomed the attendees, and Coila LaFleur, the Business Architect – Global Projects of ExxonMobil, opened the conference. Coila moderated a panel discussion that focused on how data-driven connected worker technologies could empower the workforce and drive operational efficiency. 

The panelists included members of some of the top energy companies and focused on the sentiment that wearable technology was missing the mark. It seems that the technology was not to blame but merely the use case for which it was being deployed. HUVRdata set out to right that misnomer with their announcement of a partnership with Realwear to bring their platform to a wearable device to complete hands-free inspection without needing connectivity. It seems that wearables do have their place in the industry when the use-case is correctly identified.

Anil Wadhwa, Former Executive Director – Digital Transformation of Baker Hughes and Allen Turner, Manager, Remote Analytics of International Paper discussed developing an organizational structure to support digital transformation projects. Traditional organizational structure may not be the best approach to facilitate or support digital transformation projects or initiatives in an organization. The first day ended with roulette and blackjack at the show’s annual Casino Night. We saw attendees take home Drones, Headphones, and other prizes included a HUVR branded RTIC Cooler.

The second day of the conference began with Constantyn Chalitsios, Chief Digital Officer of Westlake Chemical, and Ron Norris, Operations Innovation of Georgia Pacific, taking us through examples of application of industry 4.0 technology. Constantyn spoke about the Westlake Chemical digital transformation journey. While Ron discussed ensuring operational resilience through embedding predictive and intelligent capabilities across operations. The theme of day two was overwhelming how to drive operational excellence and achieve transformational results through successful deployment and management of connected worker platforms.  

The Connected Worker Show 2023 provided valuable insights into the future of work in the industrial sector. The term “Connected Worker” is so broad that it encompasses everything from explosion-proof tablet cases, wearable technology, to literal analytics at your fingertips. This allowed the speakers to discuss the importance of digital transformation, connected worker platforms, and how data-driven technologies can empower the workforce and drive operational efficiency. The event highlighted the need for companies to embrace digital transformation and connected worker platforms to stay competitive and succeed in the future.