Hear Shape Corp’s Digital Transformation journey at Realize LIVE Americas 2026!

Ed Pleet talks to Magnus Edholm, ahead of main stage appearance at Realize LIVE 2026

Get ready to be inspired! Realize LIVE 2026 is just around the corner, and we’re buzzing with excitement for what promises to be an unforgettable event. This year, we’re diving deep into the world of digital transformation with industry leaders who are truly making waves. One such visionary is Ed Pleet, CTO of Shape Corp, a global Tier 1 automotive supplier, who will be speaking on the main stage.

If you’re serious about staying ahead in the manufacturing world, you absolutely cannot afford to miss Ed Pleet’s session. This isn’t just another talk about buzzwords; it’s a candid look at how digital change works inside a manufacturing business.

Ahead of appearing at Realize LIVE, Ed sat down with event host, Magnus Edholm to peel back a layer and discover what motivates Ed to keep innovating and how Shape Corp feeds that passion. You can listen here:

The challenge: doing what others cannot

Shape Corp lives by the tagline, “We do what others cannot.” In a highly competitive automotive industry, where speed and innovation are paramount, this isn’t just a motto – it’s a necessity. Historically, Shape Corp, like many manufacturers, relied on physical trials and extensive development work, often leading to a cycle of “failure, try again.” This approach, while traditional, is no longer sustainable in today’s fast-paced environment.

Ed Pleet will share how Shape Corp is moving away from this time-consuming and resource-intensive process. Their goal? To make the “first physical part a sellable part.” This ambitious KPI is at the heart of their digital transformation journey, a journey that has seen them leverage modern tools and strategic partnerships to revolutionize their product creation and manufacturing processes.

From physical to digital: a new era of efficiency

The shift from physical to digital development is a monumental undertaking, touching every aspect of their business. Shape Corp’s digital transformation isn’t just about digitizing existing processes; it’s about a complete overhaul, rethinking how they develop and manufacture. This involves:

• Designing more efficiently: Streamlining the design process to reduce iterations and accelerate development.
• Ensuring manufacturability: Integrating design and manufacturing to ensure products can be produced as efficiently as possible.
• Unified Bill of Materials (BOMs): Creating a seamless flow of information between all teams, eliminating discrepancies and error states that cause delays.

This comprehensive approach is designed to help them move “light years faster” than before, a testament to their commitment for innovation and efficiency.

The power of partnership: Siemens and Altair

No digital transformation of this magnitude can be achieved in isolation. Shape Corp has forged critical partnerships, notably with Siemens and Altair (now part of Siemens Digital Industries Software). These collaborations are instrumental in building a robust digital thread, integrating tools like Teamcenter for a unified data backbone, Designcenter NX, HyperMesh, and HyperView.

This integrated approach allows them to combine disparate bespoke pieces of their workflow into a cohesive system. The result? The ability to take development cycles that once took years or months and reduce them to mere moments. This is the true power of a well-executed digital transformation.

Inspiring change and embracing AI

Ed Pleet will also delve into how Shape Corp motivates its engineering teams to embrace this digital shift. By freeing them from repetitive tasks through automation and AI, engineers can focus on higher-value activities, driving innovation and providing more value to customers. Imagine the excitement when engineers realize they can leverage AI to automate mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on groundbreaking solutions!

The discussion will also touch upon the role of AI in optimizing tooling and other areas, showcasing how these advanced technologies are transforming the industry. While some aspects will be kept under wraps for the main stage, Ed hints at how AI is being used to leverage past development work, accelerating the creation of new solutions.

Sustainability through digitalization

Beyond efficiency, Shape Corp’s digital transformation is deeply intertwined with sustainability. Ed highlights how the waste inherent in traditional development processes – energy usage, scrap parts, and inefficiencies – directly impacts environmental goals. By embracing digitalization, they aim to significantly improve their sustainability levels, becoming a “lighthouse organization” for aggressive sustainability targets. This isn’t just about being green; it’s about building a business that can “keep winning over time.”

Don’t miss Ed Pleet at Realize LIVE!

Ed Pleet’s appearance on the main stage at Realize LIVE in Detroit is set to be a highlight of the event. He’s looking forward to sharing Shape Corp’s compelling path forward and, crucially, to hearing feedback and ideas from other innovators. This is a unique opportunity to learn from a leader who is actively navigating the complexities of digital transformation and achieving remarkable results.

Realize LIVE is more than just a conference; it’s a global networking event, a hub for cutting-edge demos, and a chance to connect with thousands of innovators across engineering, manufacturing, and product lifecycle management. Ed describes the main stage atmosphere as akin to a wedding – everyone is happy, eager to learn, and ready to be inspired.

So, if you want to understand how to truly reinvent your business, accelerate your processes, and achieve ambitious sustainability goals through digital transformation, you absolutely must be there. Head over to the Realize LIVE website, explore the agenda, check out the speakers, and secure your spot. Don’t miss out on the energy, the thought leadership, and the incredible insights that will fuel your own success. This is your chance to be part of something truly transformative!