New business worth some £177 million has been attributed to the MACH 2014 exhibition — an increase of more than 20% on the 2012 event — based on an analysis of exhibitor feedback.

James Selka, CEO of the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA — the owner and organiser of MACH), said: “This increase in the value of business is tremendous news and supports the very positive comments we have received from exhibitors since the show.

I congratulate all the companies that exhibited at MACH this year and wish them further success in building on the marketing opportunities that the exhibition generated. The MTA has already started on work to make MACH 2016 an even greater success, and I look forward to unveiling our plans in the near future.”

More than 23,000 people visited the show, up 10% up on the previous event. Immediately after MACH 2014, the exhibitors (a record 612) reported that the quality of enquiries and value of orders placed had both been very encouraging.

“The success of MACH 2014 underlines the growing strength of the UK’s engineering-based manufacturing sector,” said Mr Selka. A highlight of MACH 2014 was the visit by Business Secretary Vince Cable, who toured the show and held a ‘round table’ discussion with business leaders to talk about investment, skills, Europe and the problems experienced by SMEs trying to fund growth projects.