Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2024 will once again merge the worlds of mechanical and electrical/electronic engineering next month. The show will run from 6-8 February and more than 9,000 specialists in design, production, procurement and management in manufacturing are expected to visit over the three days. This year’s exhibition has also broken new ground with the highest-ever level of participation by overseas companies, proving its ever-growing international significance and demonstrating that the show has well and truly arrived on the international stage.

Now in its 27th year, the show moved to its present location in 2008 and was the first-ever event to be held in the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre when it was constructed a decade later. Over its long history, the exhibition has evolved into one of the UK’s most important UK shows for sourcing engineering products and services.

There is no demarcation between the mechanical and electronic sides of the show, which ejnoy equal representation. Visitors are able to walk freely between the stands and perhaps discover things they were not expecting at the outset. Furthermore, ‘Technology Trails’ bring together firms with expertise in particular areas, helping visitors to make the most of their visit.

Ideal showcase
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2024 is an ideal showcase of the latest in machine tools, tooling, workholding and other production hardware, as well as test, measurement, inspection and metrology equipment. Furthermore, additive manufacturing (AM) continues its progress towards becoming a mainstream production process and there will be many companies offering 3-D printing platforms, consumables and contract manufacturing services. There will also be numerous sub-contractors offering subtractive machining from metals, plastics and composites, whether from castings, forgings, billet, bar or sheet.

Automation will also feature strongly, driven by a chronic shortage of shopfloor skills in Britain and across Europe. The manufacturing industry is also facing a battle to recover from the impacts of Brexit, supply chain disruption and soaring energy costs. These themes will feature strongly during the show, along with more recent developments such as Industry 4.0, robot and collaborative (cobot) machine tending, renewed interest in reshoring of production and renewable energy and power-saving machinery.

There will be suppliers offering mechanical, electrical, electronic, electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic components and assemblies, surface mount technology and PCB manufacture, box build, cables, connectors and mechatronics assembly. They will be joined by companies offering plastic injection and rubber mouldings, sensors, drives, encoders, fasteners, pressings, wireforms, springs and gaskets.

Other services on offer will encompass business and manufacturing software, production and planning aids, oil and coolant supply, workshop equipment, dust and fume extraction, humidity control, workplace storage systems, bespoke case and foam manufacture, plastic packaging, injection moulding, hand tools, adhesives, industrial flooring, waste removal and recycling, training, freight services and financial consultancy.

With so many exhibitors offering such a wide variety of products and services, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2024 will undoubtedly be the perfect place to address multiple sourcing issues quickly and efficiently, especially in times when supply chains are under pressure. There will also be an opportunity to attend a range of free seminars, which will provide visitors and exhibitors with learning opportunities concerning technical, managerial and environmental developments and best practice.

The show will co-locate with AutoAero, a specialist theme within the exhibition devoted to aerospace and automotive engineering. There is ample car parking and the site is well served by road and public transport links. A regular, complimentary bus service runs between Farnborough’s main and North Camp railway stations and the showground. Parking and admission are also free of charge. More information and tickets are available here.