The owners of the Southern Manufacturing & Electronic Show have announced that it has been acquired by EasyFairs, organiser of the Advanced Engineering Show.
Matt Benyon, Group CEO of Easyfairs, said: “Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is a perfect strategic fit for our growing portfolio; and as part of an established stable of industry-leading events, the event’s future development and its loyal exhibitor and visitor base that has been built up over the last 30 years will be in very safe hands.”
Easyfairs believes that a portfolio including these two distinct UK events creates a powerful offering to the market covering the entire engineering and manufacturing value chain.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics has a core of exhibitors displaying machinery, production equipment, electronic production, tooling and subcontracting services; where Advanced Engineering has its core in product design and engineering, composites engineering and advanced materials.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics has built up over the years as a family business, led by founders Phil Valentine and Jo Valentine and with a family team working with them. They will continue to be closely involved in the event as consultants.
Phil Valentine said: “On behalf of our team and family responsible for delivering the exhibition over the last 26 years, I am delighted to announce the acquisition of the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show by Easyfairs and wish to take this opportunity to genuinely thank you, the exhibitors and visitors for the loyal support you have shown us and the event over those years. Exciting times lie ahead for the future development of the show.
“The combination of our continued involvement and intimate knowledge, linked with the international marketing knowhow and reach of Easyfairs who bring a strong track record of delivering a multitude of industrial related events across Europe, offers many synergies and makes for a perfect strategic fit.”
Mr Valentine said that the coming together of Southern Manufacturing and Advanced Engineering created a powerhouse in the UK covering the entire engineering and manufacturing supply chains.
He added: “Furthermore, where there are similarities in target audience of both exhibitors and visitors, the events are geographically distinctive. Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is ideally located to capture the 35% of the 2.6 million workforce employed in the UK manufacturing sector.
“This combined portfolio of exhibitions provides the industrial engineering community with the opportunity to meet and do business at the start of the year and then again in the Autumn, offering touch points throughout the year.
“I know that Easyfairs are proud that they continue to work with many original employees from previously acquired companies, also founders and their families, all of whom are enjoying the benefits that working for a privately owned, pan-European organiser can bring. We look forward to working with them and yourselves in the future, continuing to deliver successful shows with our usual high degree of attention to customer service. Your main point of contact and means of contacting us will remain the same.”
Engineering Capacity is a media partner of both Southern Manufacturing and Advanced Engineering.
http://www.industrysouth.co.uk
BACK TO ENGINEERING CAPACITY NEWS PAGE