In just over four months,
MACH 2026 will open its doors at the NEC, Birmingham, with over 30,000 people from across the manufacturing spectrum anticipated to attend. The biennial event offers ‘an unmissable opportunity to experience new technology, live and in action’, and is perfectly timed for UK manufacturers preparing for growth in both capacity and capability.
Registration is now open for the event owned and organised by the
Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), and sponsored by Lloyds Bank, which is renowned for inspiring, innovating and connecting the manufacturing community. The show will take place across five halls at the NEC from 20 to 24 April 2026, bringing together buyers, sellers, specifiers and designers — all under one roof.
All aspects of manufacturing technology will be on display, and the MTA is looking forward to welcoming back exhibitors who have been strong supporters of the show for many years, in addition to many first-time exhibitors and those returning to the show after a period of absence.
Building on the success of their show debut at
MACH 2024, the Knowledge Hubs will return and will be even bigger and better this time around. These interactive hubs are designed to provide manufacturers with practical guidance on adopting new technologies, helping them tackle challenges, boost performance and improve competitiveness by connecting with the right experts and suppliers.
Strategically located across the show floor, the Knowledge Hubs will focus on key industry topics including subjects such as automation and robotics, additive manufacturing (AM), data and AI, and consumable tooling. The hubs are designed to provide visitors with impartial advice and signpost them around the show, as well as provide invaluable insights into when and how to invest in technology that drives improvements in productivity, efficiency and operational costs.
Seminar theatreThe ‘Machining & Tooling Knowledge Hub’ will be a particular focus for
MACH 2026 and is supported by a wide range of tooling companies including Ceratizit, Iscar Tools, Horn, Guhring, ZCC Cutting Tools, Kyocera, Europa Tools, Mapal and Mitsubishi. A key part of the hub is a seminar theatre where a diverse range of presentations will take place covering subjects like ‘how to apply the latest cutting tool technologies’ and pointers on selecting the most suitable insert geometries. The programme is designed to empower manufacturers to work in a faster, better, and more cost-effective way.
MACH 2026 is owned and organised by the MTA, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to being the voice of the engineering and manufacturing community. The association is committed to driving innovation, creating value, attracting new talent into the sector and supporting the continued growth of UK manufacturing.
MACH is also supported by other key manufacturing organisations including the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and its centres, the Metal Forming Machinery Makers Association (MMMA), and for the first time, Automate UK and Make UK.
The MTA operates as a organisational cluster which includes the trade associations
Additive Manufacturing UK (AMUK) and
Engineering Supply Chain UK (ESCUK), with both represented at
MACH with their own dedicated zones. The AMUK Knowledge Hub will provide impartial advice on how AM technology can be adopted into the manufacturing process and applied for best results. As sponsors of the Supply Chain Zone, ESCUK will help promote capacity and capability from within the UK, supporting its members to do more business.
James Fudge (pictured left), head of operations at the MTA, said yesterday, at a show press launch held at the Royal Automobile Club: “
MACH is the only show that offers thousands of visitors a fantastic opportunity to explore and see live demonstrations of a wide range of the latest manufacturing technologies and techniques, all under one roof, in one week – without leaving the UK.
Next year’s event is a fabulous opportunity to learn about new technology and how this can be harnessed to improve productivity and efficiency. The Knowledge Hubs are spearheading our drive to help manufacturers integrate new technologies into their processes and manufacturing systems. The event also offers invaluable face-to-face opportunities to meet new suppliers and strengthen existing relationships, helping businesses stay ahead in a rapidly evolving sector.”
‘Pathway to engineering’Meanwhile, the Education & Development Zone (E&D Zone), sponsored by Iscar Tools, will the educational hub of
MACH 2026, designed for students keen to explore what engineering-based manufacturing can offer them as a future career and to help them find their ‘pathway to engineering’.
At the press event, David Jones, Iscar Tools’s general manager, said that the time was right for the company to return to the show as an exhibitor after a three show hiatus. He also explained how Iscar has recently been undergoing a transformation — a programme began three years ago to demolish the company’s previous building and replace it with a ‘state of the art’ facility which will be completed early next year.
Mr Jones also revealed that the company is also setting itself up for the future with the introduction of a new in-house apprenticeship scheme next year, so to sponsor the E&D Zone and get the message out was the best decision. He added that he personally has attended
MACH as an exhibitor, a visitor and will go full circle at MACH 2026 by exhibiting again!
Mr Fudge said: “The E&D Zone showcases the MTA’s commitment to attracting new talent into the sector. We have nearly 3,000 students due to attend in the key age range of 11-18. The zone is designed as an engaging experience and will demonstrate what a career in advanced manufacturing looks like.”
The cutting-edge manufacturing technology on display at
MACH 2026 will include machine tools, cutting tools, metrology equipment, additive manufacturing (AM), surface engineering, robotics and automation, sheet metal, metal forming and fabrication technology, and specialist software which is both enabling and driving the digitalisation of manufacturing.