Events, conferences and shows are often the highlight of the year for companies working in the Advanced Materials and Advanced Engineering spaces. They’re a great opportunity to showcase your products, see the latest industry developments, hear from thought leaders and network with other professionals.
While there are many shows catering to more niche markets, attending events which also accommodate a broader range of industries is vital to creativity, innovation and learning. We’ve put together a list of some of the key events taking place across the world in 2024 which will be of interest to Advanced Materials and Advanced Engineering companies. Many of these we attend ourselves, to make sure to come a say hello!
January – March
6 February – SAMPE UKIC Annual Seminar
Kicking off the year is the SAMPE UKIC Annual Seminar. This is a one-day event, taking place from 8am – 5pm at the AMRC Factory 2050 in Rotherham, UK. This year’s title is “Composites 4.0: Innovating for a Changing Environment”. The day will consist of technical presentations, tabletop exhibits and networking opportunities. Attendance prices range from £55 – £200.
You can read more about the event on the SAMPE UKIC website.
6-8 February – Southern Manufacturing & Electronics
For those involved in design, engineering production and procurement, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is a “must-attend event”. Located in the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, UK, the event will begin at 9:30am each day. Attendance tickets are free and on-site parking as available at zero cost.
Advertised as “the most comprehensive annual industrial exhibition in the UK and a major pan-European showcase”, this event is a great opportunity to witness new technologies being created across a wide range of industries.
Registration is officially open on the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics website.
5-7 March – JEC World
One of the largest events of the year is JEC World: The Leading International Composites Show. This year the event will take place in Paris Nord Villepinte, France. Opening at 9am each day, JEC World is “the place to be” for composites. Throughout the three days there will be hundreds of product launches, award ceremonies, startup competitions, live demonstrations and plenty of networking opportunities.
The event also offers negotiated accommodation rates, a free shuttle service from the main partner hotels and parking at a cost. The price of visitor badges depends on how early you book. If you get in before 4 February, prices range from €55 – €110.
Read more about the event and pricing on the JEC World website.
April – June
15-19 April – MACH
Organised by The Manufacturing Technologies Association, MACH is the “National exhibition for inspiring, innovating and connecting engineering-based manufacturing”. This year the event will take place in the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK, starting at 9am each day.
For 2024, MACH will have a special focus on resolving the current challenges facing the manufacturing industry. Key topics include energy prices, labour costs, skills shortages, raw materials pricing, supply chain distribution and the green agenda. This event is an excellent platform to showcase your latest products, services and developments to an audience of key decision-makers across the UK.
Registration is currently open on the MACH website.
20 April-2 May – The Health & Safety Event
Taking place at the NEC in Birmingham is “the UK’s largest gathering of anyone responsible for running a safe and efficient workplace”. From 10am each day, The Health & Safety Event will feature a range of seminars, workshops and exhibitors from industrial, commercial and public sectors.
This is a free event which will keep you up to date with regulatory changes, industry best practices and the latest products and solutions. It is also co-located with other exhibitions, including The Workplace Event and the National Cyber Security Show. Registration and parking are free.
You can read more on The Health & Safety Event website.
22-26 April – HANNOVER MESSE
Taking place in the Exhibition Ground Hanover, Germany is “the world’s leading industrial trade fair”, HANNOVER MESSE. Kicking off at 9am, 2024’s theme is “Energizing a Sustainable Industry” with the aim of demonstrating how climate neutrality can be achieved through electrification, digitization and automation.
Welcoming over 4,000 companies each year, this exhibition brings together companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, digital industries and energy sector all under one roof. Ticket prices range from €23 – €115.
Find out more about the event on the HANNOVER MESSE website.
15-16 May – CHEMUK
At the NEC, Birmingham (UK), CHEMUK brings together over 500 specialist exhibitors along with a packed speaker programme across four major show zones. This is the largest networking event for the UK’s chemical industries and the country’s only large-scale chemical, laboratory and process industries exhibition.
The event, including panel discussions and keynote presentations, is completely free to attend.
Registration for CHEMUK 2024 is currently open.
20-23 May – SAMPE Conference and Exhibition, North America
Taking place at the Lond Beach Convention Center, California, the SAMPE Conference and Exhibition welcomes thousands of industry partners each year. The conference is a great opportunity to meet domestic and international buyers, manufacturers and suppliers from a range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, marine and energy.
Registration is open until 18 May and early bird prices will end on 25 March. Currently, ticket prices range from $75 – $1,365 depending on your membership and package options.
Read more on the SAMPE North America website.
21-22 May – Utility Week LIVE
Utility Week LIVE is the UK’s only pan-utility exhibition. Located at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, the event will feature a range of exhibitors, zones and features “designed to accelerate delivery for a digitally enabled net zero future”.
2024’s event will have five key themes: innovation, smart utilities, sustainable infrastructure, energy flexibility and customer, culture and workforce.
Registration is currently open on the Utility Week LIVE website.
5-6 June – Subcon
In June at the NEC, Birmingham, is Subcon, “the UK’s biggest subcontract manufacturing supply chain show”. This event brings together thousands of British manufacturers to showcase over 200 subcontracts and outsourced engineering services. Subcon is advertised as the “must-attend event for manufacturing buyers from all industry sectors”. Opening at 10am each morning, the first day will be followed by a welcome drinks reception for all visitors and exhibitors.
Find out more about the event on the Subcon website.
5-6 June – Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week
Also taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, is the Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week. This free exhibition is a series of digital and live events designed to showcase end-to-end manufacturing and engineering solutions to encourage conversation and knowledge sharing. Considered a “festival of industrial innovation” the event added “Smart” to the title for 2024 to showcase a commitment to exploring the latest innovations.
Right now, you can register your interest to be notified when tickets are available on the Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week website.
10-14 June – ACHEMA
Gathering together manufacturers and service providers from over 50 countries in Frankfurt, Germany, ACHEMA is a great one-stop shop for all areas of the process industry. The event is considered a world-leading show, providing an array of technology and service showcases from industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech and energy.
Admission ranges from €9-€90 and tickets are available from the ACHEMA website.
11-12 June – JEC Forum Southeast Asia
Taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, JEC Forum Southeast Asia brings together the composite materials community. In Partnership with the Thai Composites Association, this event puts a special focus on business meetings, conferences and composites tours. Only taking place every two years, supplied, buyers and delegates meet to view the latest products and network with industry leaders.
Read more about JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2024.
19-20 June – Chemspec Europe
2024 marks the 37th international exhibition, Chemspec Europe, designed for the fine and speciality chemical industry. Held in Messe Düsseldorf, Germany, this event is “the place to be for purchasers and agents to meet with manufacturers, suppliers and distributors”. This exhibition attracts attendees on an international scale and runs a wide range of free conferences across the two days.
Find out more about the event on the Chemspec Europe website.
19-21 June – SAMPE China Conference & Exhibition
SAMPE China is a multiday academic conference hosting lectures and articles focusing on the latest scientific research results, technological frontiers and application trends of composite materials. Spanning six exhibition halls, over 300 exhibitors will be welcomed to display the latest research, services and products.
You can read more about the event and register your interest on the SAMPE China 2024 website.
July – September
2-5 July – ECCM21
ECCM21 is the 21st European Conference on Composite Materials for Academia and Industry. Held in Nantes, France, the conference is organised by the Institute of Civil Engineering and Mechanics of the Nantes Université and Centrale Nantes, under the patronage of the ESCM and the AMAC. Known as Europe’s leading conference on composite materials, the event is a forum for the latest academic and industry knowledge across all relevant sectors. Learn about the latest developments, emerging trends and network with industry leaders and decision-makers.
Learn more about ECCM21 on the website.
22-26 July – Farnborough International Airshow
Taking place every two years, the Farnborough International Airshow gathers the aerospace, aviation and defence industries for “the world’s best airshow”. Pioneering change, this event offers the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, build new business connections and gain access to unparalleled development opportunities.
Currently, you can register your interest in Farnborough International Airshow on the website.
2-4 September – China Composites Expo Shanghai
Held in the NECC, Shanghai, the China Composites Expo is the largest and most influential event in the Asia-Pacific region. Exhibitors specialise in a range of composite industry sectors, including raw materials, manufacturing, application, quality control, recycling and high performance.
Information about the latest event can be found on the China Composites Expo website.
4-5 September – International Composites Summit (ICS)
Our joint venture with Composites UK, ICS is “THE single place to do the most cost effective and sustainable composites business in the UK”. Taking place at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, UK,
this event brings together researchers, innovators and industry leaders under one roof. It is an opportunity to share knowledge, network and build business on an international scale. Stand bookings are currently open.
Find out more about the event or get in contact about stand opportunities on the ICS website.
9-12 September – The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX)
Based in San Diego, California, CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in north America. Attracting leading industry professionals, researchers and technicians across a variety of secotrs, the event consists of a “robust education program and an expansive exhibit hall”.
CAMX is currently accepting abstracts for technical papers and education sessions until 16 February. Registration for the event will open in the spring.
Find out more on the CAMX website.
24-26 September – SAMPE Europe
This year the event will be a joint collaboration between SAMPE UK & Ireland and SAMPE Europe, taking place at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 2024’s theme is “Advanced & Sustainable Composites”, with over 100 authors presenting high-quality technical papers. There will also be a pre-conference tutorial programme and the SAMPE students’ seminar held in conjunction with the conference.
Tickets will be available from 1 June, with prices ranging from €350-€950. Find out more from SAMPE Europe.
24-26 September – PPMA Show
The PPMA show is considered “the UK’s largest event for processing equipment, packaging machinery, industrial robots and machine vision systems”. Located in the NEC, Birmingham (UK), from 9am each day the event will welcome exhibitors from a wide range on industries, including food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, contract packers and more.
This event is an excellent chance to network, source new ideas and solutions and meet with technical experts.
Register your interest with the PPMA Show to be notified when tickets go live.
26-28 September – Interplas
As the UK’s leading plastics exhibition and conference, Interplas has been running for over 75 years. The event is considered an essential part of the calendar for product designers, engineers, manufacturers and buyers, offering a platform to showcase and view the latest technology and innovations.
You can read more about the event on the Interplas website.
October – December
22-23 October – JEC Forum DACH
In partnership with the AVK, JEC Forum FACH is a business meetings event, fathering the composites materials community, hosted in the German, Austrian and Switzerland regions. Taking place in Stuttgart in 2024, the event welcomes 500 participants to engage in conferences, business meetings and attend the prestigious AVK Awards.
More information about the event, including how to register, can be found on the JEC Forum DACH website.
30-31 October – Advanced Engineering
Located in the NEC, Birmingham (UK), Advanced Engineering is “the UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering and manufacturing professionals”. The show is specifically designed to help companies source new suppliers, build connections and learn about the latest industry developments. Each year it welcomes over 400 exhibitors offering products and solutions across a wide range of sectors.
Registration is open now on the Advanced Engineering website.
2-4 December – Safety & Health Expo
Powered by Safety & Health Practitioner (SHP), this event is advertised as the “number one source for health and safety news”. Taking place at the ExCel in London, UK, the Safety & Health Expo welcomes exhibitors from construction, manufacturing, education, local government and more.
Find out more about the event on the Safety & Health Expo website.
2-4 December – Facilities Show
In conjunction with the Safety & Health Expo, The Facilities Show will also be at the ExCel in December. This event brings thousands of facilities management and real estate professionals together to launch products and network over exclusive breakfasts, after parties and award presentations.
Learn more about the event at the Facilities Show website.
