Businesses will have the chance to strengthen their UK supply chains, meet innovators and kickstart new partnerships at the EMCON event on September 12.
Organised by Engineering and Manufacturing Network (EMN) and now in its 16th year, the EMCON event will take place at Rainton Area in Houghton-le-Spring, close to Sunderland, Washington, Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne.
The event was established to showcase engineering and manufacturing companies, capabilities and opportunities in North East England and beyond.
In 2023, EMCON attracted more than 900 visitors and 120 exhibitors from across Northern England and the wider UK.
Each year, the event is attended by representatives of multinationals, SMEs and start-ups. Sectors including advanced manufacturing, advanced engineering, automotive, fabrication, plastics, robotics and energy are represented at the showcase, and training providers, universities and business support organisations will be exhibiting at EMCON 2024 too.
This year’s EMCON will feature a Meet the Buyer programme, which will enable suppliers to meet face to face with representatives of major national and international organisations.
The EMN’s regular Maintenance Forum, where maintenance engineers can hear from industry experts and share advice and best practice, is also set to take place at EMCON in September.
Ailsa Anderson, Director of Development at EMN, said: “With many businesses facing challenges such as high energy costs, recruitment and retention difficulties, and global supply chain disruption, it’s vital to bring engineering and manufacturing companies together, and EMCON provides them with that sense of community. Every year, EMCON creates an environment in which businesses can discover new opportunities, share experiences and tap into the incredible expertise and capabilities we have here in Northern England.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming hundreds of exhibitors and delegates to EMCON, and seeing attendees forging new relationships and taking exciting new ideas back to their businesses at the end of the day.”
John Bignall, founder of Bignall Group, a long-time exhibitor at EMCON added: “There’s a lovely, friendly culture within EMCON and you’re always talking to lots of people. Everyone is very approachable. I’ve been to a lot of trade shows, but nothing has that sort of culture.
“It’s a great way for companies to introduce themselves to exhibiting, but just as good for the seasoned exhibitors out there to spread awareness of their products within northern supply chains.”
Jon Elwell, founder of TBox Tech, which exhibited at EMCON 2023, said: “Since we attended EMCON last year, the response has been unbelievable! It gave us a chance to be seen and helped us to show people what we could do, and we have really been able to take off since then.”
Entry to EMCON is free for delegates.
For more information on EMCON and to book a place, visit https://emcon.show/
EMN is an engineering and manufacturing-focused, trusted cross-sector membership organisation, dedicated to supporting businesses and their people in North East England. For more information on EMN, visit https://emn.org.uk/
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