Advanced Engineering sees surge in composites interest

More than 9,000 engineering and manufacturing professionals descended on the NEC, Birmingham, on 20-30 October for the 16th edition of Advanced Engineering. Among the highlights was the revitalised Composites Zone, which delivered record engagement and reinforced the event’s position as the UK’s leading meeting place for the composites industry. This year saw a strengthened partnership with Composites UK which curated the two-day ‘Composites Forum’ agenda, focusing on sustainability, material circularity, next-generation product development and the future of composite manufacturing.

Day one featured a well-attended session, The UK Composites Industry in Numbers, delivered by Dr David Bailey, CEO of Composites UK. He presented 2024 data showing the sector has broken through the £14 billion revenue barrier and now employs more than 52,000 high-value workers in the UK. He said: “We believe this is the best place for our members to do composites business in the UK. We are very excited to have brought 18 companies to exhibit with us at Advanced Engineering and, in fact, it has been hard to speak with our members at the show because they have all been busy doing business.”

The Composites Networking Lounge, sponsored by PRF Composites , returned in an upgraded format and quickly became one of the most active hubs at the show. The space hosted a steady stream of meetings, introductions and technical discussions, connecting suppliers, engineers and OEMs across the supply chain. PRF also featured in live demonstrations, showcasing its advanced prepreg systems, including the rapid 4min RP570 heated press cycle, the 5min fire-retardant RP570 FR, and RP570 FR paired with REEPREG recycled carbon prepreg non-woven.

Hannah Khusainova, marketing director at PRF Composite Materials, said: “We have been run off our feet this year, especially having been really active in the Composite Networking Lounge, hosting networking sessions, meet-the-speaker events and live demonstrations. We have actually been hot pressing live on the show floor, I think it might be the first time composite processing has been demonstrated live at Advanced Engineering. The response has been incredible.”

Real-world techniques
Alan Harper Composites also delivered hands-on sessions showcasing real-world techniques and practical processes. Reflecting on the show’s value, owner Alan Harper said: “Collaboration only happens when you truly understand what the industry needs. Events like this give us direct access to the conversations that matter, we hear what people are really looking for. We have had far more visitors than expected. If you ask me how the show has been, I would say absolutely brilliant. It has delivered more value than some of the larger international shows we have exhibited at, at a fraction of the cost. For us, the return has been exceptional.”

The introduction of the Composites Village gave start-ups and smaller businesses a platform to showcase technologies and connect with established players. Alongside this, the co-located Composites UK Industry Awards Dinner at the National Motorcycle Museum celebrated innovation and collaboration across the sector.

Stephen Brown at Scott Bader added: “From Advanced Engineering this year, I saw more progress in the supply chain for bio-derived and sustainable materials, as well as continued advancements in AM. Those would be my three big takeaways from the show, along with the fact that you don’t need to sacrifice performance to achieve sustainability.”

Commercial activity remained strong throughout the event, including a deal on the show floor with Zünd, a long-standing supplier to aerospace, motorsport, renewable energy and defence sectors. These achievements reaffirm Advanced Engineering’s role as the UK’s annual gathering point for the composites community. The Composites Zone will continue to expand in 2026, with more features planned to support the sector’s rapid development.

Advanced Engineering returns to the NEC on 4-5 November 2026, and for the first time will be co-located with UK Metals Expo, creating new opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and networking.