UK Metals Expo returns to the NEC Birmingham on 4 and 5 November 2026, bringing together the businesses, technologies and expertise that underpin the UK metals supply chain and the engineering sectors it serves.
For readers across subcontract manufacturing, precision engineering, fabrication, machining, forming and production, the event offers an opportunity to meet material suppliers, processors, recyclers, technology providers and industry bodies influencing availability, performance, cost and sustainability.
Connecting communities
As the UK’s dedicated event for the metals sector, UK Metals Expo connects primary producers, stockholders, processors, fabricators, surface finishers, recyclers, technology suppliers, trade associations and end users.
For engineering businesses, decisions on material selection, specification, procurement and manufacturability have direct consequences for quality, lead times and competitiveness. The event provides access to partners from across the value chain, supporting conversations around sourcing, processing, innovation and supply-chain resilience.
The 2026 edition comes at an important time for the sector. Metals businesses and their customers are navigating a changing trade environment, the continuing development of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, pressure to reduce emissions, concerns around material availability and supply-chain security, evolving customer requirements, and the need to develop new technical skills.
These issues affect not only material producers and suppliers, but also the engineering firms that depend on reliable access to steel, aluminium and other metals. Whether the priority is controlling procurement risk, responding to lower-carbon requirements, managing price volatility or securing supply, closer collaboration across the value chain will be increasingly important.
For the first time, UK Metals Expo will be co-located with Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations. The three events are expected to welcome more than 15,000 attendees and over 750 exhibitors, creating a wider meeting point for the materials, engineering, manufacturing and technology communities. One badge gives visitors access to all three shows.
For companies seeking to strengthen domestic supply chains, identify specialist partners or assess emerging technologies, this cross-sector access is particularly relevant. Material decisions are rarely taken in isolation: they influence product design, processing routes, performance, production efficiency, lifecycle impact and end-of-life recovery.
The 2026 event is supported by Tata Steel, Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd, Countrywide Metals Ltd and MEPS International.
Four theatres, free to attend
A key feature of UK Metals Expo is its free-to-attend conference programme, delivered across four dedicated theatres: The Big Issues; Supply Chain, Trade & Policy; Sustainability & Circular Economy and Innovation & Technology.
Sessions will examine subjects high on the agenda for both metals businesses and their engineering customers.
Trade and policy discussions will consider CBAM, the effect of tariffs and quotas, market conditions, price movements and the implications of regulatory change for UK metals businesses.
Supply-chain sessions will look at the availability of critical materials, procurement strategies, logistics, resilience and the importance of strengthening domestic capability. These are issues of direct importance to engineering firms seeking to protect continuity of supply, manage lead times and build more robust production plans.
Sustainability and circular-economy content will explore decarbonisation strategies, scrap and recycling, the role of electric arc furnaces, low-carbon materials, lifecycle thinking and practical steps towards more circular metals systems. For manufacturers responding to customer expectations and wider environmental requirements, the sessions will offer useful context on changing material choices and recovery routes.
The Innovation & Technology programme will consider automation, process innovation, digitalisation, productivity, material development and the changing skills needs of the industry. These themes will be relevant to businesses looking to enhance efficiency, improve quality, develop their workforce and remain competitive.
Cross-sector views
The programme brings together speakers from industry, government, research, academia and representative bodies. Confirmed contributors include T. V. Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel; Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel; James Kelly, CEO of the British Metals Recycling Association; Frank S. Aaskov, Director of Energy and Climate Change Policy at UK Steel; and Kaye Ayub, Senior Consultant at MEPS International.
The line-up also features experts from Tata Steel, Hydro Aluminium, British Steel, JLR, Rolls-Royce, the UK Space Agency, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, the Materials Processing Institute, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Innovate UK Business Connect, the Aluminium Federation, HM Treasury, the Aerospace Technology Institute and the Confederation of British Metalforming.
The breadth of viewpoints is intended to move the discussion beyond broad future-facing statements and towards the real challenges businesses face: managing risk, controlling costs, securing material, responding to policy changes, developing lower-carbon operations and investing in a competitive future.
For visitors from the engineering and manufacturing community, UK Metals Expo offers a focused route to compare suppliers, discover materials and technologies, discuss production challenges and build relationships across the metals value chain. For exhibitors, it provides access to a relevant audience spanning metals, engineering, manufacturing and technology.
With metals continuing to support sectors including construction, infrastructure, automotive, aerospace, energy, defence and consumer products, the importance of a resilient, innovative and sustainable supply chain is clear.
UK Metals Expo 2026 takes place on 4th & 5th November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham, co-located with Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations.
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