Industrial design and development is something that the UK does very well. As the UK’s largest annual gathering of industrial professionals and engineers, it’s therefore not surprising that Southern Manufacturing & Electronics has become something of a storefront for the finest the UK has to offer.
At 17,000 square metres, the show’s purpose-built venue next to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire brings together an incredible range of products and services under one roof. In one visit, it’s possible to see everything from the latest electronic components, to state-of-the-art machining centres and factory automation solutions.
Along the way, you’ll meet countless component manufacturers, designers, CEMs, specialist service providers and subcontractors. Such is the range of companies taking part that visitors are virtually guaranteed to run across the new and exciting at every turn.
With upwards of 800 exhibitors expected for 2014, the show is the biggest ever and looks likely to smash attendance records once more. One of the secrets of its enduring popularity – the show is approaching its third decade - is the huge selection of firms participating.
Save the recently launched Northern Manufacturing & Electronics, there is perhaps no other show in the UK that offers the chance to solve so many design and production issues in a single visit. In just a couple of hours, it's possible to source suppliers of everything from air lines to zinc plating. With its positive bias towards the small to medium size enterprise, the show is very popular with specialist suppliers, many of whom do not exhibit elsewhere.
If you’re looking for a supplier for that elusive part or specialist service, there is a very good chance that you’ll find it at Southern Manufacturing. It's co-location with Southern Electronics - currently the UK's longest-running electronics show - increases those chances exponentially. In a single visit, you can find vendors from practically any facet of manufacturing industry, from packaging supplies to the most up-to-date machine tools.
In short, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is a designer’s paradise. The show is big enough to pull in a roster of big name firms that you’d normally have to travel to Europe to meet at a single event. Some of the more familiar names include Igus (UK), Hepco Motion, LG Motion, Fanuc, Kawasaki Robotics, Fronius, Amada, MYDATA, RS Components, Amphenol, Haas Automation, Yamazaki Mazak and many more. Amongst the many important new faces for 2014 are Olympus, showcasing its industrial endoscopy solutions, BAE Systems and Brother UK.
The show is also now an attractive destination for an increasing number of overseas exhibitors. This year sees a record number of firms travelling from continental Europe to take part, including AMES SA from Spain, Delta Line and GR Elettronica from Italy and many others. From even further afield come Parker Overseas, from India, and Takachi Electronic Enclosures from Japan.
Together with the spectacular demonstration of production hardware on show, the event also offers an excellent opportunity to procure practical knowledge via its extensive free of charge technical seminar programme. Running over two days, the seminar programme will cover a range of engineering and manufacturing topics, including sessions on designing better products and marketing overseas, which are sure to be interesting.
Admission to Southern Manufacturing along with the seminar programmes is free of charge, and FIVE Farnborough features ample free on-site parking and straightforward accessibility by road or public transport.
To register online for event tickets, click here or call 01784 880 890. Visitors are also able to keep tabs on all of the most up-to-date reports from the show by clicking on the official blog page, its LinkedIn group or simply by following @industry_co_uk and the #southmanf hashtag on Twitter.