Innovation and collaboration power the possible at Advanced Engineering 2025
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Published in Events
On 30 and 31 October 2025, over 9,000 engineering and manufacturing professionals gathered at the NEC, Birmingham, to attend the 16th edition of Advanced Engineering, the UK’s annual gathering for the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Across two days, visitors witnessed the very latest that the industry had to offer, with over 400 exhibitors showcasing their innovations.
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.
Across the event, visitors and exhibitors praised the show’s atmosphere, networking opportunities and the quality of conversations that took place. One exhibitor, John Arrowsmith, Sales Director at Scaglia Indeva, said: “This year’s show has been really strong for us, especially lead-wise. We’ve had conversations with companies such as Caterpillar and Red Bull, and had a good mix of visitors across different industries.”
Andrew Wright, Manager at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “I wanted to see what’s going on across the industry. I work with lots of suppliers, so it’s 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’s fantastic to see how busy it is.”
Among the highlights of the event was the announcement of this year’s 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’s inks help manufacturers cut Scope 3 emissions by up to 70% 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’s show.
Meanwhile, VAC Innovation won ‘Best Marketing Campaign’, Busch took home ‘Best Stand’ and JOTA was recognised for the ‘Most Sustainable Stand’. Another feature of this year’s event was the newly expanded Composites Pavilion, delivered in partnership with Composites UK.
“I used to come to Advanced Engineering as a visitor, just looking at all the shiny toys,” said Mark Prince, Founder of Dream Big Composites and winner of last year’s Enabling Innovation Award. “Now we’re here with our own stand, thanks to that win, and the experience has been incredible. The footfall and location have been perfect and I’m having genuinely meaningful conversations. We’ve already got two major companies to follow up with and even had a meeting with an investor. For us, that’s exactly what this event is about, building networks and finding the right partners to grow.”
Another major moment came on day two, with the launch of the ‘AI Reality Check’ 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.
This reflected a broader show theme, with AI, automation and digitalisation taking centre stage throughout the halls. The main stage, renamed ‘Future of Engineering – Powered by Automation, Robotics and AI’, hosted thought-provoking sessions on the technologies shaping the industry’s 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’s stand offered an impressive smart manufacturing display, demonstrating how digitalisation is transforming production environments.
The Innovations Gallery also proved a popular draw, offering an inspiring look at 14 pioneering technologies. Highlights included Addyx’s Carbon Exoskeleton, Matta Labs’ Blue AI inspection system, LATI UK’s conductive thermoplastics, and Rockwood Aerospace’s lightweight propeller blades for eVTOLs and drones, plus many more.
“This year’s show had a fantastic buzz,” said Simon Farnfield, Event Director at Easyfairs, organiser of Advanced Engineering. “The 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. 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’s everything we aim for with Advanced Engineering.”
This year also saw some incredible show features. That’s from the RML supercar, Lotus cutaway and Toyota Hilux hydrogen chassis to Arc Aero Systems’ drone, Rockwood’s propeller display and live demonstrations from PRF Composites.
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’s role as a hub for global collaboration.
As the doors closed on another successful edition, the message was clear. Collaboration, innovation and investment remain at the heart of UK manufacturing’s continued resurgence. That’s why Advanced Engineering 2026 will return to the NEC on 4 and 5 November 2026, and for the first time will be co-located with UK Metals Expo, bringing even greater opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and networking.
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