MACH 2024 — the ‘must-attend event’ for engineers and manufacturers

The UK’s engineering and manufacturing technologies community is remaining bullish in the face of mounting economic headwinds by pledging its support for the sector’s largest shop window, the biennial MACH exhibition.

While the doors of MACH 2024 are not due to open for another 18 months, the exhibition has already received strong support from members of the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) with almost two-thirds of the exhibition space already sold out.

The MTA, which owns and organises the event, has so far held two ballots of MTA members, with interest in exhibiting proving positive in both instances. A third will be taking place on 3 November for non-member companies and the trade association is expecting it to attract strong interest.

MTA CEO James Selka said: “In the current circumstances it is beyond encouraging to see so many companies pledging support for MACH 2024. We had expected MACH 2022 to be a pivotal event as the industry looked to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic in a strong position, but there is now a strong argument for saying that MACH 2024 is even more critical to the future of UK manufacturing”

Unrivalled experience
He continued: “With inflation continuing to rise, UK manufacturers need to implement the improvements to productivity that will yield greater rewards in the future. This is where MACH plays an important role as its ability to connect manufacturing engineers, decision makers, buyers and specifiers with suppliers of new technology, equipment, services and processes, is unrivalled and we are already implementing steps that will ensure MACH 2024 is our most successful exhibition yet. With the non-member ballot fast approaching we are expecting strong interest in exhibiting at the show and taking in the success of this year’s event — it is not hard to see why.”

MACH 2024 opens its doors at the NEC, Birmingham on 15 April 2024 and the five-day event will feature the largest display of new machinery and manufacturing technologies under one roof in the UK. If, as expected, it follows the trend of previous exhibitions, then transactions worth hundreds of millions of pounds are likely to be agreed.

An audience of more than 20,000 engineering and manufacturing sector visitors are already expected, with an overall attendance figure of circa 30,000 people. Results from MACH 2022 showed: 95% of exhibitors generated leads; deals worth in excess of £180 million were concluded (with many leads still being followed up); 80% of exhibitors considered they had raised their profile; 77% of exhibitors considered they had improved relationships with their customers; 68% of visitors came to view new products; 99% of visitors reported meeting their objectives; and 44% of visitors did not attend any comparable trade exhibition.

According to the MTA, the beauty of the MACH event is that it is not just a five-day exhibition — it generates a strong pipeline of high-quality leads and opportunities that help generate sales long after the show has ended.

Mr Selka added: “In order to make the step change improvements in productivity and therefore competitiveness, manufacturers need only three things – technologies, the skill to acquire and deploy those technologies, and the finance to make it happen.

“Technologies have never been more powerful and affordable, the UK has an incredible reputation for its innovative and flexible workforce, and while financial incentives such as Super Deduction end next Spring, there is always the hope that new schemes will emerge.”

Focused zones
Companies interested in exhibiting in 2024 will find there are some good positions still available, especially within focused zones, which are designed to improve navigation and the overall visitor experience.

Co-locating with MACH 2024 is the Engineering Supply Chain Show, sponsored by the Engineering Industries Association (EIA). Based in Hall 7, this new exhibition, is for the main part, a response to the immediate needs of UK manufacturers and engineers for new opportunities. It also brings together a wider audience focused on capacity in the UK sub-contracting and supply chain sectors.

It is an event where world-class suppliers, exclusively in the UK engineering and manufacturing supply chain, can exhibit, and is dedicated to helping buyers looking to source precision sub-contracting products and services from UK-based suppliers. It has come about due to the need to expand the UK Supply Chain Zone, which has previosuly always been a key part of the main MACH exhibition.

For 2024, the ESC show will include new specialist zones, with a strong focus on energy efficiency in the engineering supply chain, machine and equipment safety, motion control and sensors used in manufacturing. It will feature a strong message around ‘greener’ manufacturing, with UK-sourced goods and services helping to reduce goods miles.

Mr Selka concluded: “By 2024 we must all hope brighter times are ahead and as the industry looks to shape its own destiny — the MTA and EIA stand ready to assist manufacturers in any way they can. We expect MACH 2024 to make a positive contribution to future prosperity and we urge the engineering and manufacturing community to embrace opportunity and support the event by signing up to exhibit now.”

For more details on MACH 2024, visit www.machexhibition.com.