
The
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2025 trade fair being held 4-6 February at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, will see a ‘wealth of advanced manufacturing technology’ from the worlds of mechanical and electrical/electronic engineering presented on more than 500 stands.
Easyfairs, which runs more than 110 events in 12 countries and is the new owner of the show, says that a particularly high level of interest in the run-up to the exhibition — from companies not only in the UK but also from overseas — means that the expo is again a sell-out and expected to attract more than 9,000 visitors.
Easyfairs says the event started in 1997 as a small gathering of engineering firms in the south of England and has grown year on year to become an important annual industrial show in the UK calendar, as well as a ‘global shop window’ for engineering and manufacturing technology. “
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics moved to its present Farnborough location in 2008 and was the first event to be held in the new exhibition centre when it was built a decade later. Multinational companies rub shoulders with SMEs and small vendors, creating an inclusive atmosphere that it intends to maintain.
“This inclusivity is a defining quality of the event, along with the juxtaposition of two dissimilar engineering disciplines. It is certainly a formula that has worked well over the years for the companies taking part, as nearly all say it is an excellent venue for doing business and generating sales leads. Many participants are regular returnees, and some have supported the show since it started; and with a profusion of new technology, the event will appeal to anyone involved in design, manufacture, procurement, training or management looking to source multiple products and services in a time-efficient way — or simply wanting to research what is available.”
‘Technology Trails’Easyfairs also points out that although the industries represented throughout the hall are multi-faceted, there are no barriers between the areas, allowing cross-over between different disciplines. “Many visitors say it is an aspect of the show that is particularly useful, as it encourages a wide-ranging itinerary around the stands, often leading to the chance discovery of firms specialising in other relevant technologies. Furthermore, ‘Technology Trails’ that group firms having expertise in particular areas are designed to help guide visitors through the hall, while a specialist ‘AutoAero’ thread concentrating on matters important to automotive and aerospace engineers will help add value for people operating in these sectors.”

The latest in machine tools, tooling and workholding will feature alongside sub-contractors offering a comprehensive range of mechanical engineering services. On the electronics side, there will be IC and PCB design and manufacturing equipment and services, and from box build through to full contract electronics manufacture, cables and connectors. Spanning the two engineering disciplines will be mechatronics assembly, electro-mechanical components and systems, controls, displays, HMIs, data acquisition systems, sensors, drives and encoders.
Test, inspection, and measurement will be highlighted, as will production planning systems, engineering and business software, materials, and consumables. Suppliers of plastic injection and rubber mouldings will be exhibiting, as will companies specialising in a huge variety of fasteners, pressings, wire forms, springs and gaskets.
Digitalisation of productionThe show organiser says this year’s event will also reflect ongoing growth in the digitalisation of production, adding that visitors will also notice an emphasis on reshoring of production, as well as new ecological technologies such as ‘green energy’ generation and power-saving machinery.
“Robotics and other forms of autonomous handling will feature strongly, driven by a skills shortage throughout Britain and Europe. There will also be companies offering equipment, consumables and bureau services for additive manufacturing, along with firms promoting generic products and services such as oil and coolant supply, workshop equipment, dust and fume extraction, humidity control, and workplace storage. There will also be manufacturers of: bespoke cases, foam and plastic packaging; labelling equipment; hand tools; adhesives; industrial flooring; plus companies offering waste removal and recycling, freight forwarding services, and financial and business consultancy.
“Other additions designed to benefit visitors will be a new smart badge with which they can simply touch an ‘EasyGo’ reader on each stand they visit and subsequently have the relevant information emailed to them, thereby saving having to carry brochures around all day. Likewise, exhibitors will have a record of who has shown interest in them. Also new is ‘Southern Connect’, a new app for matchmaking with other relevant visitors.”
Over the three days of
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics, there will be an extensive programme of free technical seminars. All CPD-approved to ensure they meet specific quality standards, they will cover a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on the technical, managerial and environmental issues facing manufacturers today. Seminars are another aspect of the exhibition that Easyfairs intends to expand, as ‘promoting education is another of the company’s core beliefs’.
There is free car parking at the Farnborough site, which is well served by road and public transport links. A regular, complimentary bus service runs between the two local railway stations and the showground. Admission to the exhibition is also free. Further details and registration can be found at the website
here.