Digital by Design: Digitalisation Is Not a Patch, It Is the Foundation

Roman Žák: Some of the first editions of the conference were organised in Slovakia and Brno. At the time, the main topics revolved around supply concepts for Volkswagen and Škoda Auto, sequencing processes or warehouse management. Back then, the event hosted around sixty participants. Today it is a completely different scale. However, one thing has remained the same: among the nearly 400 participants, professionals from manufacturing and logistics companies still form the majority.

Pavel Boháč: TAL is and will remain Aimtec’s flagship conference. It is a platform where customers can genuinely discuss the topics shaping their business. And these discussions increasingly take place in a global context. We are observing trends that are influencing markets and economies across the world. That is a major shift compared to the early years.

Roman Žák: In some ways yes, in some ways no. Technological waves arrive regularly and each one initially appears revolutionary. However, AI does seem to be genuinely transformative. Yet one thing has not changed: ultimately, it still depends on people and data quality. AI is entirely dependent on the accuracy and robustness of the processes where data is created. Without reliable data, its outputs quickly lose their value. That is why we do not focus solely on adopting new technologies. We also focus on building strong expert teams and trustworthy data foundations.

Pavel Boháč: From my perspective, the key factor is the mindset of people. Technological innovation often advances faster than organisations’ ability to adopt and effectively use it. This should not be underestimated. Every change – whether a single innovation or a full digital transformation in manufacturing and logistics – must begin with people. They are the real drivers of change. Technology alone will not deliver results. That is also why change management is a recurring topic across many presentations at our conference.

Pavel Boháč: The value you gain from the people around you. TAL brings together an exceptional network of experts from across Europe – particularly the German and Czech markets – including industry professionals, academics and institutional representatives. You rarely encounter such a concentration of practical experience in one place. And this year it will be even more concrete thanks to a case study from Škoda Auto and the strategic perspective of Hana Součková from SAP.

Roman Žák: The connection between the digital and the physical world. This year we will focus strongly on smart automation in logistics. Not as an abstract concept, but through real-world experiences of companies that are already implementing it. Come and find inspiration you can begin applying in your own organisation the very next day.