Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2025 reflects the ongoing growth in digitalisation of production
Published: 18 November, 2024
Leading-edge technology, split approximately equally between exhibitors operating in the mechanical engineering and electrical/electronic sectors, awaits visitors to the next Southern Manufacturing & Electronics trade fair, which will take place from 4th to 6th February 2025 at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre.
Regarded as the largest and most comprehensive annual industrial exhibition in the UK and a major global showcase for engineering and manufacturing technology, the show moved to its present location in 2008 and was the first to be held in the new, world-class exhibition centre when it was built a decade later. Since its inauguration in 1997, the event has grown continuously from a small, regional gathering of engineering firms into one of international importance, attracting visitors and exhibitors from around the world.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics hosts many large manufacturers and service providers, but is also liberally populated by engineering SMEs and small vendors. The show operates a policy of open access, discouraging bigger firms from dominating the space. There will be an abundance of new engineering technology on show, making it an ideal place for anyone looking to source multiple products and services efficiently. Although the industries represented throughout the hall are multifaceted, there are no barriers between the areas, allowing easy cross-over between different disciplines.
Featured will be all the latest in machine tools, tooling, workholding and other production hardware, along with subcontractors offering a comprehensive range of mechanical engineering services. Intermingling with these providers will be companies offering PCB design, box build services and other contract electronics manufacture, cables, connectors, mechatronics assembly, and electro-mechanical components and systems.
Testing, inspection and measurement serving all industry sectors will be in evidence throughout, as will production planning systems, engineering and business software, materials and consumables. Suppliers of plastic injection and rubber mouldings will be in attendance alongside other companies specialising in a huge variety of controls, displays, HMIs, data acquisition systems, sensors, drives, encoders, fasteners, pressings, wire forms, springs and gaskets.
Additional products and services essential for business operations will include oil and coolant supply, workshop equipment, dust and fume extraction, humidity control, workplace storage, bespoke case and foam manufacture, plastic packaging, labelling equipment, hand tools, adhesives, industrial flooring, waste removal and recycling, freight forwarding services, and financial and business consultancy.
This year’s show will reflect the ongoing growth in digitalisation of production, as well as an increase in manufacturing systems that may be interconnected via Industry 4.0 protocols. There will be an emphasis on reshoring of production, plus new ecological technologies such as green energy generation, efficient under-floor heating and power-saving machinery.
Robotics and other forms of autonomous handling on both the mechanical engineering and electronics sides will again feature strongly, driven by a skills shortage in Britain and across Europe. Additive manufacturing continues its progress towards becoming a mainstream production technique and there will be many companies offering equipment, consumables and bureau services. The current exhibitor list is available to view at: www.southern-manufacturing-electronics.com/en/exhibitor
To give visitors valuable learning opportunities, over the three days there will be the usual extensive programme of free technical seminars covering a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on the technical, managerial and environmental issues facing manufacturers today. All sessions will be CPD-approved to ensure they meet specific quality standards. The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC) hand soldering competition also returns in 2025.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics co-locates with AutoAero, a specialist thread that runs through the main programme concentrating on matters important to automotive and aerospace engineering. Both sectors directly contribute billions of pounds to the UK’s GDP, while supporting numerous industries and businesses in the supply chains and providing much needed employment for highly skilled people.
The exhibition is inexpensive to visit, as car parking at the Farnborough site as well as the bus service that runs between the two local railway stations and the showground are free. So also is entry to the exhibition. People that sign up now are guaranteed to receive an advance copy of the printed preview guide.
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