On October 22 and 23, 2026, Milan hosts the fourteenth edition of the World Manufacturing Forum, a key appointment on the global manufacturing agenda. This year, the forum takes place at Palazzo Mezzanotte under the theme “Navigating the Future of Manufacturing: Trends Compass & Technology Radars.”

Global manufacturing is going through a period of unprecedented transformation, driven by technological innovation, sustainability imperatives, workforce evolution, changing consumer expectations, and shifting geopolitical and economic conditions. In this landscape, identifying which trends and technologies will have the greatest impact on each organization is an increasingly complex challenge.

The forum will bring together international policy experts, industry leaders, academic researchers, and technology innovators, offering a neutral platform for foresight, dialogue, and knowledge exchange. Its aim is to define strategic priorities and accelerate technology adoption and workforce development for a competitive, resilient, sustainable, and human-centred manufacturing future.

The event will present this year’s report, which includes:

✔️ A trends compass analyzing the main technological, economic, environmental, societal, and regulatory drivers, and their implications for sustainable industrial development.
✔️ A set of technology radars assessing emerging and maturing technologies by potential impact, adoption readiness, implementation challenges, and expected time horizons for industrial deployment.

Together, these resources provide a practical decision-support framework for prioritizing investments, identifying opportunities, managing uncertainty, and building organizational resilience.

🗓️ Date: October 22-23, 2026
📍 Venue: Palazzo Mezzanotte, Milan (Italy)
🏛️ Organized by: World Manufacturing Foundation
👉 More information and registration: https://worldmanufacturing.org/activities/world-manufacturing-forum-2026/