A round-up of Advanced Engineering 2025<\/p>\n
On October 30 and 31, 2025, over 9000 engineering and manufacturing professionals gathered to the NEC, Birmingham, to attend the 16th<\/sup> edition of Advanced Engineering, the\u00a0<\/strong>UK\u2019s annual gathering for the engineering and manufacturing sectors<\/strong><\/a>. Across the two days, visitors witnessed the very latest that the industry had to offer, with over 400 exhibitors showcasing their innovations.<\/strong><\/p>\n Exhibitors included major names such as Silverstone Technology Cluster, PRF Composites, GKN Aerospace, Goodfellow, Schneider Electric, Scott Bader and Optimas, alongside hundreds of SMEs and start-ups presenting new technologies, processes and collaborations.<\/p>\n Across both days, visitors and exhibitors praised the event\u2019s atmosphere, networking opportunities and the quality of conversations that took place across the hall. One exhibitor, John Arrowsmith, Sales Director at Scaglia Indeva Ltd, said: \u201cThis year\u2019s show has been really strong for us, especially lead-wise. We\u2019ve had conversations with companies, including Caterpillar and Red Bull, as well as a good mix of visitors across different industries.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew Wright, Manager at Jaguar Land Rover, commented, \u201cI wanted to see what\u2019s going on across the industry. I work with lots of suppliers, so it\u2019s useful to know what technology they should be aware of. Events like this are a great way to spot the latest trends, make new contacts and pick up ideas. It\u2019s great to see how busy it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the highlights of the event was the announcement of this year\u2019s Enabling Innovation Award winner, Ail Arian, a spin-out from Swansea University pioneering recyclable silver conductive inks for printed electronics. Designed with end-of-life recovery in mind, Ail Arian\u2019s inks help manufacturers cut Scope 3 emissions by up to 70 per cent and recover valuable materials that would otherwise be lost. The award means that Ali Arian will be awarded with a free stand at next year\u2019s show.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, VAC Innovation won \u2018Best Marketing Campaign\u2019, Busch took home \u2018Best Stand\u2019 and JOTA was recognised for the \u2018Most Sustainable Stand\u2019. Another feature of this year\u2019s event was the newly expanded Composites Pavilion, delivered in partnership with Composites UK.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to come to Advanced Engineering as a visitor, just looking at all the shiny toys,\u201d said Mark Prince, Founder of Dream Big Composites and winner of last year\u2019s Enabling Innovation Award. \u201cNow we\u2019re here with our own stand, thanks to that win, and the experience has been incredible.<\/p>\n \u201cThe footfall and location have been perfect and I\u2019m having genuinely meaningful conversations. We\u2019ve already got two major companies to follow up with and even had a meeting with an investor. For us, that\u2019s exactly what this event is about, building networks and finding the right partners to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n Another major moment came on day two, with the launch of the \u2018AI Reality Check\u2019 report. The session was chaired by Jon Excell, Editor of The Engineer, and featured contributors Gerald Law, Chief Executive of Innovation DB, Dr Nandini Chakravorti CEng MIET, Director of the Digital Engineering Group at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), and James McAllister, General Manager of Atlas Copco in the UK and Ireland. The discussion drew a large audience as the panel explored how AI is influencing UK manufacturing.<\/p>\n This reflected a broader show theme, with AI, Automation and Digitalisation taking centre stage throughout the halls. The Main Stage, renamed Future of Engineering \u2014 Powered by Automation, Robotics and AI, hosted thought-provoking sessions on the technologies shaping the industry\u2019s next chapter. Sponsored by Grid Dynamics and Schneider Electric, the area showcased cutting-edge innovation in connected manufacturing, sustainability and smart industry. On the show floor, Atlas Copco\u2019s stand offered an impressive Smart Manufacturing display, demonstrating how digitalisation is transforming production environments.<\/p>\n The Innovations Gallery also proved a popular draw, offering an inspiring look at fourteen pioneering technologies. Highlights included Addyx\u2019s Carbon Exoskeleton, Matta Labs\u2019 Blue AI inspection system, LATI UK\u2019s conductive thermoplastics and Rockwood Aerospace\u2019s lightweight propeller blades for eVTOLs and drones, plus many more.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year\u2019s show had a fantastic buzz,\u201d Simon Farnfield, Event Director at Easyfairs, organiser of Advanced Engineering, said, \u201cThe halls were full of energy, with so many meaningful conversations taking place. The quality of visitors was excellent, from decision-makers at major OEMs to innovative SMEs looking to collaborate.<\/p>\n What really stood out was the sense of community. People were staying late to network, continuing discussions over drinks and making real connections that will shape future projects. It\u2019s everything we aim for with Advanced Engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n This year also saw some incredible show features. That\u2019s from the RML supercar, Lotus cutaway and Toyota Hilux hydrogen chassis to Arc Aero Systems\u2019 drone, Rockwood\u2019s propeller display and live demonstrations from PRF Composites.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Meet the Buyer programme hosted over 100 UK suppliers and facilitated meetings with representatives from Airbus Aircraft, Helios Information, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, Safran Helicopter Engines USA and a South Korean delegation, reinforcing Advanced Engineering\u2019s role as a hub for global collaboration.<\/p>\n As the doors closed on another successful edition, the message was clear. Collaboration, innovation and investment remain at the heart of UK manufacturing\u2019s continued resurgence.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why Advanced Engineering 2026 will return to the NEC on November 4 and 5, 2026, and for the first time will be co-located with UK Metals Expo, bringing even greater opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and networking.<\/p>\n You can book your stand for next year\u2019s show via\u00a0www.advancedengineeringuk.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A round-up of Advanced Engineering 2025 On October 30 and 31, 2025, over 9000 engineering and manufacturing professionals gathered to the NEC, Birmingham, to attend the 16th edition of Advanced Engineering, the\u00a0UK\u2019s annual gathering for the engineering and manufacturing sectors…. 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