Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW), the UK’s largest festival dedicated to advanced manufacturing and engineering, returns to the NEC Birmingham on 3 and 4 June 2026. The event once again brings together its established portfolio, including
Smart Factory Expo, Maintec,
Drives & Controls,
Design + Engineering Expo, the
Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit and
The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards, positioning the week as a central meeting point for industrial innovation and collaboration.
Following the strong momentum of the 2025 edition — which attracted more than 13,500 visitors, over 450 exhibitors and more than 200 speakers —
SMW 2026 is expected to deliver an expanded showcase with greater international participation and an even broader range of technologies and expertise shaping the sector’s future.
Reflecting on the previous year’s success, Chris Allen, marketing manager of
Smart Manufacturing Week, said: “The event brings the industry together each year — not just to showcase technology, but to share ideas, solve problems and genuinely connect. It is a place where conversations spark innovation.”
The 2026 edition will feature a strong roster of global exhibitors, among them Beckhoff, Solutions PT, Epicor, Ericsson, Produtech, Fanuc and Sage, alongside many other major suppliers. The exhibition floor will offer a comprehensive view of the technologies currently driving industrial transformation.
A major new feature for 2026 will be the
Factory of the Future, a full-scale, walk‑through demonstrator designed to show how connected, intelligent and sustainable manufacturing systems operate in practice. Live demonstrations will illustrate the combined use of robotics, AI, digital twins, predictive maintenance and other Industry 4.0 technologies, aiming to bridge the gap between strategic ambition and real-world implementation.
Another new addition is
Fight Fest, a competitive robotics event taking place within the
Drives & Controls Expo on the Accu Bots stand. The competition brings together students, enthusiasts and hobbyists from around the UK to battle their ustom-built robots over two days in a structured tournament culminating in a grand final. Entry is limited to pre‑registered teams rather than general visitors, underlining the event’s emphasis on hands‑on engineering capability. Although presented as an engaging feature, the competition highlights the need to inspire and develop the next generation of engineers with practical skills in design, programming and prototyping.
Education remains a core element of
Smart Manufacturing Week. A free programme will run across seven solutions theatres, covering topics including digital transformation, industrial data and Aartificial intelligence (AI), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and connectivity, product design and innovation, automation and robotics, leadership and strategy, supply chain resilience, sustainability, marketing and sales, workforce development and maintenance. The dedicated STEM initiative,
Manufacturers and Engineers of the Future, returns on day two, giving hundreds of students and apprentices direct exposure to leading industrial technologies and professionals.
Industry excellenceSeveral satellite events will once again run alongside the main exhibition. These include the
Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit, which convenes senior industrial leaders to address sector-wide challenges and opportunities, and
The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards, celebrating individuals driving industry excellence.
Adding to the event’s festival atmosphere,
SMW will feature live performances, immersive visual installations and curated experiences designed to inspire and engage attendees throughout both days.
Grace Gilling, event director of
Smart Manufacturing Week, said: “
Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 is all about bringing the future of advanced manufacturing and engineering to life. This year, we are introducing new features designed to showcase the very best the industry has to offer — and give attendees and exhibitors the platforms to connect, find solutions, and be inspired.
“Our
Meet the Buyer programme will help visitors source the solutions they need to make their businesses more efficient and profitable in 2026 in a time-efficient way, ensuring every moment at the show delivers real value. The
Factory of the Future is our stand-out new addition — a fully immersive, walk-through demonstrator that brings connected, intelligent, and sustainable manufacturing to life. Visitors will experience live, hands-on demonstrations showing how robotics, AI, digital twins, predictive maintenance, and connected production lines work together in a single, interactive ecosystem.
It is designed to make transformation tangible, close the gap between ambition and implementation, and give leaders the confidence to take the next step. The ‘Future Stage’ will showcase bold ideas and breakthrough thinking from pioneering innovators, offering a platform for discussion, insight, and debate on the technologies and strategies shaping the next decade.
“Meanwhile, the expanded ‘Ambassador Programme’ brings even more industry leaders and expert voices into the conversation, creating additional opportunities for networking, learning, and inspiration. Together, these features make
Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 an ever-growing festival for all facets of industry — it is the destination for industrial transformation, and a glimpse of what manufacturing and engineering can achieve today and tomorrow.”
Visitor registration is now open. Click
here to register.