Find your next engineering breakthough

FOR MANY across the sector, Advanced Engineering – which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, 4-5 September – is more than an event in the calendar. It is where engineers, manufacturers, technology developers and supply chain specialists come together to understand what is changing, what is emerging and what demands attention next. 

That matters because engineering is no longer shaped within neat sector boundaries. Aerospace, automotive, defence, electronics, energy, advanced materials, composites and manufacturing technology are increasingly connected by shared challenges and overlapping opportunities. Questions around productivity, resilience, supply chain security and digital adoption now move across the wider industrial landscape. 

Stephen Phipson CBE, chief executive officer at Make UK, said: “I love coming to Advanced Engineering because it’s a great place to see some of the most advanced technologies being deployed in manufacturing right now. I’m especially interested in those related to AI, green technologies, and renewables – areas where we’re seeing high growth. This event is a fantastic showcase for cutting-edge innovation.” 

AI, electronics and the next phase of engineering 

AI is now part of almost every serious conversation in engineering. From design optimisation and simulation to automation, predictive maintenance and data-led decision-making, it is increasingly shaping how organisations improve efficiency, reduce risk and strengthen competitiveness. 

Electronics sits just as firmly within that shift. Across aerospace, automotive, defence, energy and manufacturing, the systems being designed and deployed today rely on increasingly sophisticated electronics, sensing, connectivity and control. Semiconductors are no longer a specialist issue at the margins. They are central to modern engineering performance. 

Recognising that, Advanced Engineering 2026 will introduce a new Electronics and Semiconductors Forum focused on advanced electronics, systems and photonics. Its addition reflects the reality that engineering is becoming more integrated, more connected and more dependent on technologies that cross traditional boundaries. 

More than a showcase 

One of the reasons Advanced Engineering matters is that much of the UK’s innovation is still not visible enough. Across the country, companies are solving problems in materials, manufacturing, automation, systems integration and industrial technology. Yet many of those developments remain hidden within supply chains or specialist markets. 

Advanced Engineering helps bring that work into view. Through its Enabling Innovation Zone, SME pavilions, forums, advisory input and wider industry voices, the event creates space for discussion around the issues businesses are actively trying to solve, from industrial resilience and advanced materials to skills, electronics and the practical application of innovation. 

As the sector looks ahead, Advanced Engineering remains a place where the bigger picture can come into focus. 

Further information including visitor registration details, is available at:

www.advancedengineeringuk.com