The UK industrial landscape is preparing for its most significant technological showcase of the year. Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 is returning to anchor the UK’s advanced manufacturing and engineering sector. Importantly, it will provide a compass for businesses navigating the fast-evolving world of Industrial AI, digital twins, and autonomous production.
The event serves as a central hub. Here, forward-thinking change-makers gather to find practical insights, robust solutions, and strategic connections. In an economic climate where efficiency, resilience, and workforce upskilling are paramount, this week stands as the ultimate launchpad for industrial transformation.
When and Where
Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 will take place across Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June .
The event returns to its established home at the NEC Birmingham (Halls 4 and 5). This central venue allows tens of thousands of professionals from across the UK and international markets to converge easily. The exhibition will open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. What’s more, it will pack an itinerary of live demonstrations, strategic keynotes, and expert-led panels into a condensed, high-value timeline.
The Background: Powering the Modern Factory Ecosystem
Manufacturing is no longer a series of isolated operations. Instead, maintenance, data science, product design, and supply chain logistics must work in perfect unison. Smart Manufacturing Week addresses this reality through the power of co-location. Specifically, a single ticket grants visitors open access to five interconnected show zones running under one roof. These are: Smart Factory Expo, Drives & Controls, Maintec, Design & Engineering Expo, and the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit.
Furthermore, the week partners with overlapping industrial shows including Interplas, TCT 360, Med-Tech, and Subcon. This massive festival atmosphere welcomes more than 13,500 industry professionals and features 150+ expert speakers.
A headline feature for 2026 is the “Factory of the Future.” This is a fully immersive, walk-through live demonstrator that brings connected, sustainable, and intelligent manufacturing to life. Therefore, visitors can witness real-world applications of predictive maintenance, IIoT, and automation operating seamlessly together. Additionally, the event introduces “FightFest” on the Accu Bots stand. Excitingly, this is a live, competitive robot-fighting tournament. One designed to showcase precision motors and robust power transmission components performing under extreme physical stress.
Read our review of Smart Manufacturing Week 2025.
Exhibitor Spotlights: 10 Tech Pioneers Transforming the Show Floor
With a powerhouse lineup of more than 450 exhibitors, including 136 brands making their event debut, the exhibition floor provides a comprehensive view of the technologies driving UK industry forward. Here is a preview of ten leading exhibitors, what they are bringing, and exactly where to find them at the NEC this June.
Beckhoff: Stand J90
A pioneer in PC-based control technology, Beckhoff will showcase its latest advancements in open automation systems. The company is introducing integrated EtherCAT-based hardware and software solutions designed to unify machine vision, high-speed motion control, and data analytics. This technology enables manufacturers to eliminate traditional hardware bottlenecks, allowing faster processing cycles and seamless data flow from individual shop-floor sensors straight to the cloud.
FANUC: Stand U70
Industrial robotics leader FANUC is demonstrating its next-generation collaborative robots (cobots) alongside its highly anticipated, energy-saving Roboshot S350C injection moulding machine. Featuring wider tie-bar spacing and new artificial intelligence functionality, FANUC will run a 32-cavity blister pack mould live on the stand to showcase speed, precision, and repeatability in automated high-output environments.
Ericsson: The Connected Production Stage
As the official sponsor of the Connected Production stage, telecom giant Ericsson will bring the infrastructure necessary for true factory digitalisation. Ericsson will showcase its dedicated Private 5G network solutions tailored specifically for heavy industrial environments. By providing secure, low-latency wireless connectivity across the shop floor, this technology allows thousands of IIoT devices, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), and automated systems to communicate with unerring reliability.
Schneider Electric: Stand C20
Sustainability and net-zero planning take center stage on the Schneider Electric stand. The company is unveiling its latest EcoStruxure automation architectures, which integrate operational technology (OT) with information technology (IT). This unified system allows real-time monitoring of energy consumption down to individual machine components, giving energy-intensive manufacturing operations the precise data visibility required to cut carbon emissions and lower utility costs.
Solutions PT: Stand H110
Digital transformation specialist Solutions PT will focus heavily on improving operational resilience and reducing unplanned downtime. The company is demonstrating its latest industrial software suites, featuring advanced supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems coupled with edge computing capabilities. Their interactive displays will show how mid-sized manufacturers can retroactively digitize legacy factory equipment without replacing core hardware infrastructure.
Accu: FightFest Arena & Stand F40
In a major show-floor highlight, Accu is hosting the high-energy FightFest robot-fighting competition on the Accu Bots stand. Beyond the entertainment value, Accu will use this extreme environment to demonstrate the durability of its high-precision mechanical components. The live event will serve as a real-world stress test, proving how their precision motors, sophisticated speed controllers, and robust power transmission components can withstand maximum physical impact.
Epicor: Stand K15
Enterprise software leader Epicor will display its latest industry-specific ERP solutions designed to inject transparency into global supply chains. Featuring built-in predictive data tools, Epicor’s software is built to help manufacturers navigate current market volatility. The platform offers real-time inventory visibility, automated demand forecasting, and streamlined production scheduling, allowing decision-makers to react instantly to external supply chain disruptions.
Sage: Stand M30
A dominant name in business management software, Sage will present its latest digital accounting and operational management platforms optimized for manufacturing SMEs. Sage’s technology focuses on dismantling internal data silos, automatically linking shop-floor productivity data with back-office financial forecasting. This gives leadership teams an accurate, real-time look at unit economics and product profitability.
Stratasys: Product Innovation & Design Stage
Sponsoring the Product Innovation & Design stage, additive manufacturing giant Stratasys will demonstrate how 3D printing technology is accelerating time-to-market. Stratasys will showcase its advanced polymer 3D printers, which allow engineering teams to rapidly prototype functional industrial parts and custom manufacturing tooling on-site. This technology effectively removes reliance on long lead-time component suppliers.
Redzone: AI & Industrial Data Theatre
As the primary sponsor of the AI & Industrial Data theatre, Redzone will showcase its frontline workforce communication platform. Redzone’s mobile-first software focuses on the human element of digital transformation, empowering shop-floor workers with real-time data visibility and digital coaching tools. By tracking overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and fostering collaborative problem-solving directly at the machine, the platform helps factories drive immediate productivity gains.
From Shop-Floor Automation to Top-Line Acceleration
While mastering physical automation at the NEC is essential for operational efficiency, technology is only one half of the modern manufacturing growth equation. To truly scale, industrial leaders must also transform how they sell, manage pipeline, and drive commercial revenue in a digital-first market.
