How to Reduce Manufacturing Cost Through Energy-Aware Supply Chain Decisions

This executive session takes a deeper look at an issue that is increasingly shaping sourcing and supply chain decisions: energy. Energy is no longer just a utility expense. It is a hidden driver of cost, risk and resilience across the supply chain.

Join the GENEDGE and the Greater Richmond Partnership to learn how leading manufacturers are integrating energy into Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to make stronger sourcing and operational decisions in a volatile environment.

Overview

Energy is no longer just a utility expense – it’s a critical driver of cost, risk, and resilience across your supply chain. This session shows how leading manufacturers are integrating energy into Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to make smarter sourcing and operational decisions.

This dynamic session will include a thought leadership presentation and discussion on how energy impacts Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and why it should be treated as a core input in supply chain decision-making – not an afterthought.

Participants will learn how incorporating energy into TCO reveals hidden costs, improves supplier selection, and strengthens supply chain resilience in an increasingly volatile environment.

Why Attend

In U.S. manufacturing, energy can represent a significant share of production costs in certain industries – and price volatility continues to impact margins and operational stability. Yet, most organizations evaluate suppliers and operations using traditional cost models that overlook one critical variable: energy.

Organizations that proactively manage energy as a strategic input are better positioned to protect margins, reduce disruption risk, improve operational performance, and build more resilient supply chains.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify where energy is quietly driving cost, margin, and risk
• Improve sourcing decisions using energy-integrated TCO
• Understand how energy volatility impacts supplier reliability and performance
• Strengthen supply chain resilience through energy-aware strategies
• Ask the right executive-level questions to uncover hidden inefficiencies

Agenda

8:30am – 9:00am – Breakfast/Networking

9:00am – 9:15am – Kickoff & Introductions

9:15am – 10:00am – Thought Leadership Presentation: How to Reduce Manufacturing Costs Through Energy Supply Chain Decisions

10:00am – 10:30am – Facilitated Discussion

Who Should Attend

• Manufacturing executives (COO, CFO, VP Operations)
• Supply chain and procurement leaders
• Plant managers and operations leaders
• Continuous improvement and engineering professionals
• Anyone responsible for cost, sourcing, or operational performance

What You’ll Walk Away With

• A clear framework for energy-integrated TCO
• Practical ways to apply energy insights to supplier selection and operations
• A better understanding of how energy affects cost-to-serve and profitability
• An executive playbook to translate energy data into operational and supply chain decisions