A tale of two tradeshows

Two giants of the manufacturing equipment tradeshow world took place recently - both having a huge impact on shaping the industry’s supply chain.

Although the focus of JEC World and MACH 2016 is diametrically opposed, green shoots of synergy appeared on each showfloor. JEC welcomed more cutting tool products, once considered exclusive to MACH, whilst a handful of specialised composite machine tool builders exhibited at MACH, including one flatbed cutting machine specialist.

Regular MACH exhibitors must be wondering what all this dark arts composites machining fuss is about - after all, no-one would expect to see a traditional metalcutting machine tool supplier at JEC. Clearly, there’s no tipping point in seeing more composite-related products appearing at MACH just yet, but it’s not through this show’s lack of trying.

MACH has already courted the protagonists of the UK composites industry, meeting some indifference in the form of the show’s duration - at five days it’s too long - and its seemingly metals-based stance. But let’s not confuse things here: MACH is a manufacturing technology tradeshow, regardless of the material being processed. Perhaps its large metal-based audience doesn’t see it that way and instead it’s a case of the exhibitor tail wagging the show organiser dog?

Meanwhile, JEC World is having problems coaxing more UK composites manufacturers to exhibit. It was interesting to gauge the importance that various countries and organisations placed on this year’s event: witness Great Britain’s UKTI stand, which seemed small in comparison to other countries around it.

It begs two questions: how much equipment - for any material production process - does the UK actually manufacture these days, and why don’t more UK companies exhibit at these shows. It’s like herding cats - and tradeshow organisers and industry associations must be tearing their hair out trying to find the reasons why!

Mike Richardson, editor