Advanced Engineering brings together industry leaders and professionals to explore the latest innovations across multiple sectors opens next week at the NEC Birmingham on 30 and 31 October.
The annual event for the engineering and manufacturing sectors, will feature a wealth of keynote speakers.
The six industry leaders — and 150 plus other speakers — will share their expertise and insights on critical industry issues during talks across several different forums. The two-day show will take place at the NEC in Birmingham on October 30 and 31, 2024.
The first of this year’s keynote speakers, Brian Holliday, is a leading figure in industrial technology and digital manufacturing. As the head of Siemens Digital Industries for the UK and Ireland, he oversees advanced automation, industry software, systems integration and R&D. He is an expert on productivity, digital manufacturing and industrial strategy, often contributing to media discussions.
The next speaker Matthew Atkinson, lead research engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, is an expert in automotive engineering, specialising in replacing metallic structures with injection moulded composites. His work focusses on interior mechanical commodities like cockpit, seating and loadspace features and his innovative approach has earned him multiple patents, including for the Range Rover 18MY Executive Seating.
Next, Shaun Harris CBE is currently director of support and chief engineer at the Royal Air Force. With a distinguished 37-year career in the RAF, Shaun has held numerous leadership roles. His extensive experience spans engineering, logistics and information warfare. Shaun has served around the world, from the UK and USA to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Also set to speak are Solange Baena, UK lead for the aviation environmental roadmap at Airbus, and Leonie Moffat, laser radar sales account manager at Nikon. Last but most certainly not least is Stefan Lawrenson, senior polymer chemist at Scott Bader, who specialises in sustainable technology and polymer chemistry. His research focusses on enhancing nanoparticles and synthesising eco-friendly materials.
What’s more, the Composites Forum will feature a range of industry experts discussing crucial topics. Among the speakers is Dr Sue Halliwell, operations manager at Composites UK, who is organising the forum, which will feature insights from other industry leaders in what is an impressive lineup. Along with Brian Holliday and Stefan Lawrenson, the forum will also feature Jen Hill, director at B&M Longworth Ltd, Ian Jenner, director of control systems at Busch UK and Tony Lloyd, principal research engineer at GKN Aerospace.
A notable session will focus on workforce development, addressing key issues such as skills gaps, equity, diversity and inclusion, in alignment with the #mindtheskillsgap campaign. This session will be led by Matt Bradney from Prodrive, who chairs the Composites UK Workforce Development Group, alongside Dr Halliwell.
“This year's speaker line-up brings together some of the brightest minds in the industry,” said Alison Willis, CEO of the show’s organiser, Easyfairs UK & Global. “Their diverse expertise will provide deep insights into pressing issues like Industry 4.0, supply chain management and sustainability.
“This line-up highlights the spirit of innovation that Advanced Engineering is all about, and our commitment to fostering knowledge exchange within the engineering community. I’m sure the knowledge and inspiration they'll bring to the event will be of value to all visitors.”
Enabling Innovation
As well as featuring an extensive speaker program, Advanced Engineering is also expanding its Enabling Innovation competition following high demand in recent years. The annual contest is open to all SMEs and start-ups looking for a chance to showcase their innovations for free at the country’s biggest meeting of engineering and manufacturing professionals.
The competition will culminate with presentations on the main stage at this year’s show, where each finalist will have its own exhibition space in the Enabling Innovation Zone, open to over 9,000 visitors for the duration of the show.
This popular exhibition area connects startups with valuable networking opportunities across booming sectors, including automotive, aerospace, composites and Industry 4.0. On the second day of the show, contestants will present their innovations on the main stage, with the winner chosen by a panel of industry experts.
The winner will be awarded a free full-sized stand for Advanced Engineering 2025, plus marketing opportunities. The marketing for the finalists will extend throughout the year, encompassing email campaigns, video interviews, social media exposure, press releases and a dedicated page on the Advanced Engineering website under the Enabling Innovation section.
“It is incredible to win,” said Chris Horton, managing director at last year’s winner, OxDrive, provider of e-hubs for electric off-highway vehicles operating in demanding environments. We’ve been working on this for a long time, and this is the first recognition. We are over the moon!
“We are looking forward to using the prize to further the R&D in production to develop the products and take them to customers so they can use them in the fields. The show has been fantastic for us; it is the first time we exhibited the product. We had lots of interest and good feedback.”
Another previous winner, iCOMAT, has returned to Advanced Engineering as an exhibitor every year since it won the competition in 2019.
The Enabling Innovation initiative receives support from leading innovation partners, Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), Innovation DB and Innovate UK. These organisations work with start-ups throughout the UK, offering them the means to accelerate and commercialise their innovations in the advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.
AMT forum
The Main Stage and the Advanced Materials & Technologies (AMT) forum are two areas where this year's show is expanding on its previous successes. The Main Stage will feature keynotes and industry leaders from companies such as Airbus, JLR, Siemens, Scott Bader and more, while the AMT forum will delve deeper into end user case studies across all sectors, offering a comprehensive overview of advancements and practical applications in materials and technologies.
Such expansions have been made to complement the success of the show’s rebrand in 2023, having presented a fresh look for visitors. The event featured a new cross-industry floor layout, which was previously divided into several zones, allowing a broader range of exhibitors from a variety of industries that included newly added sectors like marine, motorsport, construction, medical, rail and sport.
Over 13,000 professionals attended from Advanced Engineering and its co-located show, Lab Innovations, all with a single badge. Among the visitors were representatives from well-known companies like Airbus, Rolls-Royce, IBM, Boeing, McLaren, BAE Systems, HVM Catapult, the Department for International Trade and Jaguar Land Rover.
As for the AMT forum, it promises to be a focal point of the event, featuring a packed schedule of presentations and discussions on the latest innovations in advanced materials and technologies. Attendees can expect to hear from industry experts on topics ranging from the latest composite materials and additive manufacturing techniques to cutting-edge developments in smart materials and sustainability.
The AMT forum will also provide ample networking opportunities, connecting professionals from across the engineering and manufacturing sectors. This is an invaluable chance to exchange ideas, foster collaborations and stay informed about the trends shaping the future of advanced materials and technologies. With its rich agenda and distinguished speakers, the AMT forum is set to be an essential destination for anyone looking to stay at the forefront of innovation in these dynamic fields.
“The overwhelmingly positive feedback from 2023 confirmed that the changes made worked, with exhibitors and visitors having found that the new approach created a more collaborative atmosphere for better interaction and networking,” explained Alison Willis.
“This year, the forums will offer industry insights on the following trending topics; sustainability, innovation, government and policy, automation, AI and skills and levelling-up, all of which have been curated by our outstanding advisory board and industry partners. We're also planning to broaden our scope by providing high-quality content from an even greater variety of industries.”