Next week’s Southern Manufacturing & Electronics show will completely fill the 20,000m² Farnborough International Exhibition Centre and the organisers are optimistic of surpassing last year's record number of visitors.
As usual, visitors to Southern Manufacturing 2020 can expect to be putting a lot of mileage on their footwear over the three days of the show, with exhibitors covering every aspect of engineering enterprise, from subcontract services to the latest machinery; from consumables to state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 wizardry. Companies from all around the UK will be participating, along with a significant selection of offshore exhibitors from all over Europe, Asia and the Far East.
Farnborough, sitting as it does at the centre of one of the primary areas for aerospace manufacture, is pretty much the ideal venue for both equipment vendors – particularly machinery makers – and subcontractors. Almost a quarter of the UK’s £35bn aerospace industry is situated within a 50-mile radius, as well as an assortment of substantial international aerospace manufacturers, for example Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream and Airbus Space & Defence. Add to the mix significant levels of automotive, medical technology, marine and high-tech manufacturing activity across the south east, and the value of the event to the engineering supply chain becomes self-evident.
Furthermore, as the majority of suppliers engaged with these industries are SMEs, Southern Manufacturing’s inclusive format, which encourages involvement from a wide selection of specialist businesses, is the special ingredient that creates the show’s uniquely buoyant, energetic atmosphere and its extraordinarily wide appeal.
Contract and subcontract manufacturers at this year’s event cover a wide range of processes and technologies, from machining and sheet metalworking, to plastic injections, moulding, casting, additive manufacturing and electronics.
The theme of this year’s event is “Make It Better” – and the increasing role technology is playing in developing leaner, greener and better ways to manufacture is strikingly highlighted in the show’s Production, Tooling & Machinery area, where an impressive collection of the latest machine tools being put through their paces.
This year’s event benefits from the expertise the many associations with which it is partnered this year. These include the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, alongside national organisations including Composites UK, NetComposites, the SMMT, the Confederation of British Metalforming, the GTMA and the British Gear Association. Also taking part this year is Locate in Kent, an organisation offering a wide array of services and assistance to firms seeking to locate in the region. Many of these organisations are lending their expertise to the show’s tremendously popular free seminar programme. Running in two lecture theatres over all three days of the show, the 33 sessions announced so far cover a wide-ranging agenda, from advanced materials, additive manufacturing and Industry 4.0 to real-world examples of business transformation and Lean. The seminar programme gives delegates the opportunity to gain insight at the very highest level into many of the biggest issues facing industry today. All sessions are completely free to attend and open to all visitors to the show.
Award winning author of Staying Lean, creator of the Lean Iceberg Model and partner at S.A. Partners, Gary Griffiths, will discuss how organisations have successfully delivered results for their business by embedding and sustaining Lean & Continuous Improvement. Popular presenter Ailsa Carson of Onsite Insights gives examples of best practice in manufacturing through ten, real-world case studies. Kevin Askew of GoPrint3D reviews the Additive Manufacturing Landscape and the applications of the technology, from prototype to end-use parts. Steven Barr and Ravi Gidoomal of Edge Digital Manufacturing discuss how to develop a digital roadmap for your business and identify the right digital technologies to maximise value.
Mark Knowlton from Locate in Kent will present Delivering Industry 4.0 – an examination of how SMEs can benefit from embracing digital manufacturing. In 4.0 The Quality Revolution, Mike John of The Sempre Group looks at how British Industry must evolve its quality control in a global competitive market. Nick Aitken and Dr Alex Martin of the RINA take a look at Counterfeit components and product compliance challenges, while Dr Chris Robertson discusses Life after Brexit – What next in trade relations & product regulation. Mike Foster, managing director of The CE Marking Association will explore another aspect of the post-Brexit landscape in CE Marking 2020 and Beyond – How the changes will affect all manufacturers.
Farnborough International Conference and Exhibition Centre offers free car parking for 3,500 vehicles and is well-served by road and public transport links. A regular complimentary shuttle bus service operates from both of Farnborough’s mainline railway stations directly to the exhibition. The venue itself offers a high standard of facilities including a free WiFi service in the foyer area as well as top quality catering outlets.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2020 opens from February 11th to 13th. Admission to the exhibition is free. More information and tickets are available from www.industrysouth.co.uk