Event Review: The Advanced Engineering Show, 12/13 November, NEC
The Advanced Engineering Show, held for the first time in Hall 5 at the NEC on 12 & 13 November, proved to be an ideal platform for the NAA to get close to a very diverse range of Automotive-biased companies/sector support groups, and even led to the addition of three new members to the Business Excellence Programme (with other new member meetings being arranged from contacts made at the event)
The three new members are:
- Advanced Laser Technology
- Marbocote
- Festo
Boasting a record attendance of visitors coming from all tiers and parts of the advanced engineering supply chain, we were able to interact with high calibre contacts who took great interest in our sector support/project management and focus on improving the automotive supply chain in the Northwest.
NAA and Business Excellence members such as Camcoat, Hylomar, Scorpion Automotive, Sigmatex and FAR UK all attended and exhibited their products/services at the event that saw 655 company exhibitors/sector support organisations from across the UK (and some international – as far as India and Taiwan) in attendance.
The event comprised of five interlinked ‘show streams’ at the heart of the UK’s high value engineering and technology sector:
- Automotive Engineering
- Aero Engineering
- Composites Engineering
- Auto Electronics
- Printable Electronics for Industry
Each individual show stream, through its exhibits, hosted presentations and special features, provided a tailored value chain event which really did bring real business development opportunities due to the synergies between like-minded engineering groups.
I highly recommend NAA/Business Excellence members consider attendance; even exhibition opportunities for the 2014 event as there was an obvious ‘buzz’ surrounding the event which really was a hive of business activity and was very well co-ordinated.
We will definitely be in attendance next year and will be extending the opportunity to exhibit in conjunction with the NAA to promote the Northwest Automotive supply chain – watch this space.
Amanda Holmes
