Sarah is a sales & marketing content writer, with ten years of experience within the engineering & manufacturing industry. Working both at Qimtek and on a freelance basis, she can usually be found hammering away at a keyboard or with her head in a pile of engineering drawings.
Please note that this article relates to engineering exhibitions in 2018. For our up-to-date 2019 guide, please click here.
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As you may remember from my previous blog post, there are many great reasons why you should consider exhibiting as part of your marketing strategy. Exhibiting is unrivalled in its abilities to increase brand awareness, as it allows you to engage with a huge amount of prospects at the same time. What’s more, the power of face-to-face contact should never be underestimated in an age where most new business is conducted through the medium of telephone and email.
Here in the UK, we benefit from a vast number of events which are specifically tailored to manufacturing and engineering. If you’re looking to exhibit within the coming year, then here are a few dates to consider for your 2018 diary.
Southern Manufacturing
When: 6th-8th February 2018.
Where: FIVE, Farnborough, Hampshire.
- Largest regional exhibition dedicated to engineering and manufacturing.
- Incorporates all aspects of subcontract engineering, manufacturing technology and electronics.
- Free industry-specific seminars.
Subcontract suppliers and manufacturing purchasers based in the south of the country will probably be familiar with Southern Manufacturing. That’s because it’s the largest regional exhibition dedicated to engineering and manufacturing, having previously experienced a record attendance of 8625 in 2016.
Southern Manufacturing caters for a range of disciplines, including precision machining, fabrication and manufacturing technology. However, the electronics sector is where the event really comes into its own, as it boasts a dedicated subcontract section - Southern Electronics.
In addition, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is co-located with the AutoAero exhibition, which is exclusive to both the autosport and aerospace industries. This makes the event especially well-suited to companies that are looking to break into these sectors; it’s worth noting that both have been in heavy attendance during previous years, with decision makers from prestigious names such as BAE Systems, McLaren Automotive and Babcock featuring on past visitor samples.
Please visit www.industrysouth.co.uk to find out more. Northern Manufacturing & Electronics – Southern Manufacturing’s counterpart – takes place from the 27th to the 28th September at Event City in Manchester. Please see www.industrynorth.co.uk for further information.
MACH Exhibition
When: 9th-13th April 2018.
Where: NEC, Birmingham.
- The UK’s premier event dedicated to showcasing engineering-based manufacturing technologies.
- Attracts over 25,000 visitors.
- Focus on inspiring the next generation of engineers, with guided tours available for students.
A personal favourite of mine is the MACH Exhibition, which is hosted at the NEC in Birmingham. Quite simply, it has to be seen to be believed and as it only takes place once every two years, 2018 is the perfect time to pay the show a visit.
For machine tool suppliers, MACH is a unique opportunity to exhibit to a refined target audience. MACH 2016 exhibitors reported that over £150million worth of business was attributable to their presence at the show – tangible evidence of its towering success within the field.
Engineering companies that are looking to invest in new equipment will find everything they require at the event – indeed, it’s absolutely staggering to see the advancements of manufacturing technology firsthand, making it a worthwhile day out even to those who have no immediate requirements in this area (you may change your mind when you see what’s on offer!).
MACH also focuses on inspiring the next generation of engineers and subsequently, it offers guided tours to students who are finding their feet within the industry. This exclusive educational aspect is furthered by a range of resources available through the MACH website, as well as recruitment opportunities for graduates and apprentices.
For further information, please visit www.machexhibition.com.
Subcon
When: 5th-7th June 2018.
Where: NEC, Birmingham.
- In its 42nd year, with an excellent reputation amongst the manufacturing industry.
- Dedicated to the subcontract engineering sector.
- Industry-specific seminars and a networking drinks reception.
- Co-location with The Engineer Expo.
Subcon is the ‘go-to’ show for subcontract engineering, meaning that it’s probably already known to you if you operate within the industry. Manufacturing purchasers and suppliers alike hold Subcon in high regard and it received 4,306 unique visitors during its 2017 event – an increase of 31% in comparison to the previous year.
Subcon is a networking-centric event that hosts a drinks reception to enable casual introductions between buyers and suppliers. This approach is conducive to the establishment of new business relationships; in fact, 78% of 2017’s exhibitors rebooked onsite for the 2018 show – a figure that speaks volumes about the success of Subcon’s approach.
Subcon 2018 is co-located with The Engineer Expo, providing scope for increased footfall and the associated advantages for exhibitors. Therefore, it’s a great year for newcomers to test the water and see what the event can do for them.
Please visit www.subconshow.co.uk to find out more.
Advanced Engineering
When: 31st October - 1st November 2018.
Where: NEC, Birmingham.
- Record breaking visitor numbers at 2017’s event.
- High attendance from the aerospace, automotive, defence, oil & gas and marine sectors.
- Incorporates all aspects of engineering, from materials, to logistics, to subcontract services.
Advanced Engineering is an all-encompassing show which incorporates niches such as material supply, systems and software, logistics and R&D, in addition to subcontract engineering. This makes the event particularly accessible to the industry as a whole; a notion reflected in its visitor sample, which includes a multitude of impressive names such as Airbus, BMW, Bentley Motor Cars, Bombardier Aerospace, Network Rail and the RAF.
The latest figures report that 2017 was their most successful show to date, with an increase of 15% in overall attendance. This followed a record-breaking event in 2016, proving that Advanced Engineering is rapidly gaining in popularity.
In addition, Advanced Engineering also offers exhibitors and visitors access to a range of conferences, covering a comprehensive range of topics that are as diverse as the niches to which the show caters. Companies that are looking to keep their ear to the industry’s ground should definitely check out the seminar roster when planning their visit.
For more information, please visit www.easyfairs.com/advanced-engineering-2017.