Where technology collided with real-world manufacturing

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026 returned to the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre at the start of this month and delivered the strongest attendance in its 29‑year history. A total of 10,722 visitors and 571 exhibitors took part, marking a 5.6% year‑on‑year increase in footfall and confirming the show’s position as one of the UK’s leading annual gatherings for engineering and manufacturing professionals.

The exhibition opened with a pre‑recorded address by Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade. In his message, Mr McDonald highlighted the continuing importance of manufacturing and engineering to the UK economy and emphasised the essential role of innovation in driving long‑term competitiveness and growth. His remarks helped set a forward‑looking tone for the event, which once again provided a valuable forum for buyers, engineers and suppliers to discuss new technologies and investment plans.

A number of exhibitors drew particular interest from visitors. First‑time exhibitor MPE Electronics used its debut to showcase its high‑reliability contract electronics manufacturing services, including PCB assembly and full box‑build capability. Newbury Electronics also saw strong engagement as it demonstrated its fully in‑house, end‑to‑end electronics manufacturing operation, illustrating how integrated design, fabrication, assembly and testing can support demanding requirements across multiple sectors.

Major international names, including Sony, Panasonic, Matsuura Machinery and Mazak, were also present on the show floor, contributing to the scale and breadth of the event and reinforcing Southern Manufacturing’s status as a key meeting point for the wider engineering community.

The importance of trade shows
Visitors from leading manufacturers were quick to underline the value of attending. Andre Oliveira of McLaren Automotive, said: “I have had some really good conversations, I managed to get what I needed by speaking directly with suppliers and seeing their capabilities. Trade shows are important, because there is sometimes a gap in know‑how when it comes to properly transferring knowledge and information.”

Jarrett Cowell, manufacturing services manager at Rolls‑Royce, added: “We are currently looking at a revamp of our tool room, so I attended the show to see what new machining platforms are available. Trade shows are a good opportunity to see all of these companies in one place, otherwise doing it throughout the year would be really heavy on us.”

The seminar programme once again proved a strong draw, offering a full schedule of free, CPD‑accredited sessions delivered across two theatres. Presentations covered digital transformation, supply‑chain resilience, sustainability, process optimisation and advanced manufacturing, with speakers focusing on practical implementation and real‑world case studies.

Among them was Make UK CEO Stephen Phipson, who delivered an overview of the current manufacturing landscape, examining both the pressures facing UK industry and the opportunities available to SMEs through innovation and sustained investment. Over the course of the event, further sessions were delivered by representatives from Siemens, Rolls‑Royce, Renishaw, Airbus and Sourceability, alongside subject specialists and solution providers.

Reflecting on the success of the show, Simon Farnfield, portfolio director at Easyfairs, said: “This year’s event really showed the appetite across the industry for practical, solutions‑focused discussion. Our aim has always been to create an event that delivers genuine value, whether that’s through hands‑on access to suppliers, expert insight from the seminar programme or the opportunity to assess new solutions in one place. The feedback we received over the three days shows that Southern Manufacturing & Electronics supports informed decision‑making across the sector.”

Two skills competitions
The exhibition was supported by headline sponsors Syn‑Star, The Electronics Group and CDT / TTiL / Siemens, each of which was represented on the show floor. Their presence helped highlight the practical application of new technology across the product development and manufacturing lifecycle.
The Global Electronics Association also staged two skills competitions during the event. The IPC Hand Soldering Competition was judged to IPC‑A‑610 Class 3 standards, while the Cable & Wire Harness Competition — held for the first time in Europe — was assessed to IPC/WHMA‑A‑620 requirements.

Justyna Mikolajczyk, production technician at Zettlex/Novanta, took first place in the IPC Hand Soldering Competition, scoring 882 out of 887 points and securing the ‘UK Champion 2026’ title along with an invitation to compete at the World Championships at Electronica in Munich this November.

The inaugural Cable & Wire Harness Competition was won by Adam Fidura, electronics expert and systems test at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, who scored 405 out of 500 points. Ms Mikolajczyk said: “It feels fantastic to win again for the sixth consecutive year. It is incredibly rewarding and I am really grateful for all the prizes and everything that goes into making the competition possible. The show is excellent, it gets better every year, and it has been great to meet so many fantastic people from around the industry.”

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics will return to Farnborough from 2–4 February 2027. Prospective exhibitors and visitors can already register their interest or book space for next year’s event via the website here.