~ Where UK industry connects across materials, manufacturing and innovation ~
As UK industry faces growing pressure to adapt, innovate and strengthen resilience, the need for joined-up thinking across the manufacturing value chain has never been greater. Questions around supply chain security, decarbonisation, skills, digitalisation, AI and global competitiveness are no longer confined to one discipline or one part of industry. They are shared challenges, affecting how materials are sourced, how products are designed and how manufacturing capability evolves.
Against that backdrop, Advanced Engineering and UK Metals Expo will come together for the first time on 4 and 5 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham, creating a more connected platform for the UK’s engineering, manufacturing and metals communities. This manufacturing powerhouse sits alongside the existing co-location with Lab Innovations, making this a true meeting of the entire value chain, from idea conception, through testing and design, to end product manufacturing ready for market.
The co-location marks an important step for both events. Together, it offer visitors and exhibitors a broader view of the industrial landscape, linking upstream materials expertise with downstream design, processing, components, systems and manufacturing technologies. More than a story of scale, the move reflects the reality of how modern industry operates: interconnected, fast-changing and increasingly shaped by decisions that span the full value chain.
Advanced Engineering returns for its 17th edition as a long-established meeting point for the UK engineering and manufacturing community, where engineers, manufacturers, technology developers and supply chain specialists come together to explore what is changing across the sector and where the next opportunities may emerge.
UK Metals Expo, meanwhile, has established itself as the UK’s dedicated event for the metals supply chain, bringing together primary producers, stockholders, processors, fabricators, recyclers, surface finishers, technology providers and trade bodies. Its focus is firmly on the issues shaping the metals industry in real terms, from trade and policy to sustainability, investment and supply chain resilience.
The combined event is expected to bring together more than 700 exhibitors and over 15,000 visitors, creating a major gathering for professionals working across engineering, metals and advanced manufacturing. Visitors will be able to move more easily between discussions around raw materials, metals production and processing, and the wider engineering applications and technologies that depend on them.
For exhibitors, it presents new opportunities to reach audiences beyond their immediate sector. For visitors, it offers a more joined-up experience and a clearer picture of how supply chains, technologies and market pressures intersect.
For the engineering community, this matters because the boundaries between sectors continue to blur. Aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, electronics, advanced materials, composites and manufacturing technology are increasingly linked by shared demands around productivity, resilience and innovation. At the same time, for the metals sector, upstream production is becoming ever more connected to downstream application, policy developments, customer expectations and decarbonisation targets.
The 2026 edition comes at a time when these pressures are only intensifying, and in supporting these challenges, Advanced Engineering has introduced event tracks this year and six forums. Skills shortages remain a major concern, which the events support through initiatives such as the Skills Junction. Supply chains are being rethought in response to geopolitical instability and changing trade relationships. Net zero commitments are influencing decisions around investment and production. AI is moving rapidly from concept to implementation, while electronics, semiconductors and advanced materials are playing a growing role in industrial competitiveness.
Recognising these shifts, Advanced Engineering 2026 will continue to spotlight the technologies and ideas shaping the future of UK industry, from automation and industrial resilience to advanced materials, systems integration and the practical use of AI. A new Electronics and Semiconductors Forum will also debut at the event, reflecting the increasing importance of advanced electronics, systems and photonics across sectors including aerospace, automotive, defence, energy and manufacturing.
Alongside this, UK Metals Expo will deliver its free conference programme across four theatres, covering major issues including trade and policy, sustainability and circular economy, innovation and technology, and supply chain developments. Topics expected to feature include decarbonisation strategies, the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, circular economy models, scrap and electric arc furnace developments, automation, process innovation and workforce challenges.
Stephen Phipson CBE, Chief Executive Officer at Make UK, said: “I love coming to Advanced Engineering because it’s a great place to see some of the most advanced technologies being deployed in manufacturing right now. I’m especially interested in those related to AI, green technologies, and renewables – areas where we’re seeing high growth. This event is a fantastic showcase for cutting-edge innovation.”
Tony Waite, Director Markets, Developments and Commercial Services at Tata Steel, said: “With CBAM on the horizon and in an ever-changing trade landscape, it is vital that the metals value chain comes together and stays up to date with the latest developments. The UK Metals Expo provides a great space for the industry to engage and share knowledge and we look forward to another exciting event this year.”
Simon Farnfield, Head of UK Manufacturing Cluster at Easyfairs, said: “Bringing Advanced Engineering and UK Metals Expo together creates a stronger platform for the UK manufacturing community at a time when materials, engineering, technology and policy are more interconnected than ever. The aim is not simply to create a larger event, but a more useful one – a place where the industry can come together to share knowledge, explore solutions and better understand how decisions connect across the wider value chain. Whether the focus is advanced materials, supply chain resilience, AI, electronics, decarbonisation or long-term industrial capability, this co-location offers a broader context for the conversations businesses need to have now.”
As the road to November begins, the co-location of Advanced Engineering and UK Metals Expo signals a more integrated approach to serving UK industry. In one venue, professionals from across the metals and engineering landscape will be able to connect around the technologies, policies and partnerships that are shaping the future of manufacturing.
Advanced Engineering and UK Metals Expo will take place on 4 and 5 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.
Further information and free registration are available via the official event websites.
https://www.advancedengineeringuk.com
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