The Composites Engineering zone staged at the NEC, Birmingham has established itself as the UK composites industry’s biggest gettogether in recent years.
Part of the Advanced Engineering Show, held this year on November 1-2, which also includes the co-located Aero Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Performance Metals, and a new addition this year, Connected Manufacturing zones, visitors can see the latest composite manufacturing developments in the show aisles. The Composites Engineering event has grown as these new materials have found an increasing number of applications in industry.
“The composites industry is growing at a fantastic rate, and the Composites Engineering zone is the place to be to see the latest technological developments,” begins Alison Willis, industrial divisional director at Easyfairs which organises the show. “These are revolutionising a raft of markets, from planes, trains and automobiles, through to oil & gas; benefiting millions of people worldwide who consume these products. That means practically everyone on the planet! The industry shows no sign of slowing down. This year, as in previous years, we will welcome thousands of visitors and exhibitors whose businesses are in composites.”
Jeremy, Whittingham, head of marketing at Advanced Engineering adds: “We originally launched the zone because of the huge overlap with the aerospace sector but in recent years there is increasing interest as these material’s growth is seen in other markets and there is a requirement for more affordable composites, products and processes that can be used in higher volume sectors such as automotive.”
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Composites Engineering works in partnership with associations and industry bodies such as Composites UK – which holds its annual industry awards during the event – Catapult high manufacturing centres such as the National Composites Centre (NCC), Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network.
One of the biggest features of the show is its Open Conference programme. These are held at open forums located in each industry zone. Presentations concerning composite manufacturing this year include themes such as delivering the UK composites strategy and the use of composites in construction, rail, automotive, and the issues around automation, artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0. and sustainability.
Talks will include Faye Smith from Composites UK discussing growth and demand in the industry; Ben Morgan from the AMRC discussing automation and Industry 4.0 for SMEs and Clive Chitiz from Plataine discussing artificial intelligence and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
This year the conference programme is Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited, meaning it is content complements the policies of professional institutes and academic bodies and is recognised by employers as giving helpful professional development for visitors.
“We can confidently say that it’s the UK’s largest engineering conference programme at a trade event,” says Willis. “One of the features that most appeals to visitors is the flexibility of the talks and seminars. People can pick and choose which presentations they want to attend located in each show zone. They are not stuck in a single conference room. We also keep the presentations intentionally short so there is plenty of time to see the rest of the show.”
One of the great pluses of Advanced Engineering is the crossover between the various show zones. Exhibitors involved in composite manufacturing and applications are also likely to be found in the Aero Engineering or Automotive Engineering zones. There is also a broad cross section of exhibitors from global tier 1 companies down to the smallest specialist subcontractor.
More than 700 exhibitors will be attending the show at the NEC, as well as thousands of engineers, procurement managers and senior decision makers from large and small companies; all looking to source, specify and invest in the most up-to-date products and explore industry innovations.
Innovation is very much a driving force at the event. This year the Enabling Innovation hub sponsored by Magna International and supported by Innovate UK partner, the Knowledge Transfer Network, has expanded and will feature 50 start-ups and researchers presenting the next generation of new technologies across all engineering sectors. The zone will be an opportunity for those selected to attract investment in their ideas.
Easyfairs says Advanced Engineering’s continued success is due to its ability to keep abreast of the very latest manufacturing advances accommodated in dedicated show zones.
“How we evolve the show and develop new sectors and zones ensures we remain relevant and offer the visitor the right exhibitor experience,” says Willis. “This is largely thanks to our advisory board made up of industry stakeholders who are the leaders in their field from all the various sectors and industries we feature. It means we can look to the future to see what is happening in engineering and reflect that back to our visitors. We also partner with the right industry organisations and associations to ensure that the show not only has credibility, but includes the right content.”
Joined-up manufacturing
The biggest development at Advanced Engineering this year is the introduction of the Connected Manufacturing zone, dedicated to the latest manufacturing buzzwords Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. Visitors will see cutting edge technology and service providers, focused on connected manufacturing advances.
Key exhibitors here will include Siemens, Rockwell Automation, ABB Robotics, Dassault Systèmes, and associations such as GAMBICA and the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA).
“Demand for this zone has come from many of our exhibitors,” says Willis. “There is a need to enlighten some in manufacturing about the benefits of Industry 4.0, from large companies down to SMEs. Small companies may feel that these advances don’t really benefit them but it could just come down to the introduction of a simple new process that can increase their efficiency significantly.”
R&D and academic institutions are also well represented at Advanced Engineering, which this year is also being staged at the same time as its sister show Lab Innovation. The Show has already attracted leading names from the industry including Mercedes AMG F1, Formaplex and TenCate Advanced Composites who will be looking to meet and do business with other industry individuals.
Back again and again
So, what is the feedback from those that both attend and exhibit at the show?
Mark Crouchen, managing director of Rockwood Composites, affirms: “This will be our seventh year exhibiting at the Composites Engineering Show. We wouldn’t miss it. It is the place to be to experience at first hand the latest the industry has to offer. Come and see for yourself the wide range of composites engineering innovations the UK has to offer.”
Willis concludes: “We have built on our success by remaining close to the industry, ensuring that we have the support from the advanced engineering and manufacturing community so we create a must attend event both for exhibitors and visitors.
“At Easyfairs, our role is not just providing a stand for the two days, but also providing all the additional support that we offer our exhibitors throughout the year, so that they get the ROI for being at the event. We want to ensure they get maximum exposure and generate as many leads as possible.”
