Change Through Collaboration: Highlights from the 6th Factory Kongres & Gemba Walk

What if the future of logistics wasn’t about competition? What if the future of logistics was based on collaboration?

At the 6th Factory Kongres & Gemba Walk in Belgrade, we sent our founders to participate and explore this idea with the greatest minds in the industry.

Gama Design had the privilege of participating in one of the region’s most impactful gatherings that provides us with opportunities to network, learn, share, and grow as part of a larger community with a shared goal.

We’ve got a lot to say about this 2-day event, so let’s not waste words.

A Few Words About the Event

This year’s congress was held at the renowned Eti Crown Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, a space with much to offer our founders and the other 500 or so attendees.

The event brought together top decision-makers from some of the largest companies in the Balkans and created four stages featuring panels on topics like human capital, logistics, and future technology.

The event was a melting pot of ideas and innovation, and it seemed as though the best way to retain everything you learned was to jot it down in a notebook.

One of the highlights was the diversity of voices present. We heard leaders across industries sharing their experiences and insights, which made every session its own unique opportunity to learn.

The second day of the event took us out of the conference room and into the real world with a Gemba Walk at the Leoni factory near Nis, which was a practical learning experience in itself.

Our Founders’ Panel on Collaborative Logistics

Our founders were part of the panel speaking on a pressing topic in the industry: collaboration. Specifically, Mitko and Goran talked about how partnerships can reduce costs and boost efficiency in logistics just by collaborating.

He shared and retained insights on how AI and digitalization leave no stone unturned even in logistics. A summary of his thoughts includes:

• Digitalization is the first step toward change. It will pave the way for smarter, more efficient operations that take much of the heavy load off the shoulders of the workers.
• AI is an enabler and not a replacement. While it has the potential to revolutionize logistics and handle tasks like strategy creation, resource allocation, and safety planning, it’s not here to take jobs. Instead, it will help augment human roles and encourage existing workers to adapt, upskill, and welcome future colleagues: machines.
• A future where AI can suggest improvements is plausible. We expect AI to handle operational improvements that build comprehensive strategies tailored to every aspect of logistics, from staffing to inventory management.

Key Takeaways and Reflections

Our participation in the congress reaffirmed our belief in the power of learning and collaboration. Nowadays, it’s one of our greatest strengths, but one that’s still underutilized.

We walked away with a few key lessons worth sharing:

• Collaboration is key, regardless of whether it’s partnering with other companies at the same level or higher. It’s still the driving force behind cost reduction and efficiency gains.
• Adaptability cannot be understated. Change isn’t easy, but it’s always necessary. This sentiment was present in every discussion about the future of logistics and technology’s place in it.
• It’s crucial to oserve production processes up close and engage with other professionals on how to improve and innovate. We’ll take these considerations with us to help upscale our own operations.

Our founders were particularly motivated by the regional representation at the congress, noting that seeing so many Macedonians contributing to these critical conversations showcases out country’s talent and potential.

The rest, as always, is up to us.