January 2020

42 n SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING PREVIEW January 2020 www.drivesncontrols.com S outhern Manufacturing & Electronics returns to Farnborough from 11–13 February. As usual, the 2020 event will host a broad spectrum of exhibitors, spanning engineering activities from high-tech machine tools and automation, to components and sub-contracting services. Firms from all over the UK will be participating, as well as a substantial number of non-UK exhibitors from Europe and Asia. With the 20,000m 2 Farnborough International Exhibition Centre expected to be fully occupied once again for 2020, visitors will find the show an opportunity to find a variety of sources in a time-efficient way. Nearly 9,000 people passed through the event’s doors last year – an increase of 13% on the year before. The organisers are hoping that visitor numbers for 2020 will raise the bar still higher. For the uninitiated, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is split roughly equally between mechanical and electronics engineering. This spread gives the show a broad appeal, which the organisers say is particularly relevant for those involved in automation or process engineering because it gives them the opportunity to find vendors from across the full spectrum of activities, from mechanical components to specialised sensors and control systems. In addition to the exhibition stands, Southern Manufacturing offers a free seminar programme with more than 30 sessions taking place in two lecture theatres. The talks will cover a wide variety of topics, both technical and business-oriented. Sharing expertise Many of the show’s partner organisations will be sharing their expertise through the seminar programme. They include the British Gear Association, the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, and national bodies such as Composites UK, NetComposites, the Confederation of British Metalforming, and the GTMA. Also taking part this year is Locate in Kent, an organisation that helps businesses thinking of basing themselves in the region. A complete list of the seminar sessions and a pre-registration form can be found on the exhibition’s Web site. The Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibition returns to its Farnborough venue next month. The organisers are hoping to break last year’s attendance record. It’s Southern Manufacturing time again