"This year feels like a real step up": Inside Smart Manufacturing Week 2026

IPE: SMW seems to have come around quickly - are you looking forward to 2026’s edition?

Grace Gilling: Absolutely! This year feels like a real step up in both ambition and usefulness. We’re bringing The Manufacturer MX Award reigning champions onto the keynote stage to share what’s genuinely working inside their factories - so the ideas are grounded in real practice, not theory.

We’re also launching a brand-new Meet the Buyer / Meet the Supplier programme designed to help visitors and exhibitors get more value from the two days. It’s all about making the right commercial introductions quickly and meaningfully.

All of that sits within the festival energy that people now associate with Smart Manufacturing Week. It’s high‑quality content, serious technology and a show floor that’s designed to be explored, not just walked.

IPE:​ What is it that you think makes SMW unique?

GG: What makes Smart Manufacturing Week stand out is that it is researched and produced by The Manufacturer. That means every part of the programme - keynotes, theatres, demonstrations, show-floor features - is shaped by genuine industry insight and the topics our community tells us matter most.

The content is curated by our editorial team and aligned with the themes of the four exhibitions: Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, Drives and Controls, and the Design and Engineering Expo. Despite each show having its own identity, everything connects back to the biggest challenges facing UK manufacturing today.

Underpinning the entire event are five core pillars: Digital Transformation; Innovation and Smart Technologies; Sustainability and Circular Economy; Supply Chain Resilience; and Workforce Development and Upskilling. These five themes are the biggest issues manufacturers and engineers are actively dealing with every day.

And finally, as part of Nineteen Group, whose philosophy is that trade shows should never be dull, we work hard to make the entire experience energising. Smart Manufacturing Week has a festival-like atmosphere, designed to entertain as well as inform. It’s a vibrant environment in which people learn, do business, network and genuinely enjoy being there.

IPE:​ There are five pillars of the show. Can you explain what these are and why they are important?

GG: Smart Manufacturing Week is built around five core pillars:

• Digital Transformation - using data, AI, automation and cloud-driven approaches to transform productivity and decision-making.
• Innovation and Smart Technologies - adopting robotics, advanced manufacturing and next-generation hardware to improve throughput and quality.
• Sustainability and Circular Economy - delivering profitable growth while reducing waste, energy use and emissions.
• Supply Chain Resilience - building visibility, agility and stability in a world defined by volatility.
• Workforce Development and Upskilling - strengthening people capability, closing skills gaps and preparing teams for a more digital future.

These pillars are embedded across the event through:

• Presentations and panels in the Solution Theatres aligned to each topic
• Visitor Trails that guide attendees to the exhibitors and content most relevant to their priorities
• The Ambassador Programme, which includes dedicated networking and supports those driving positive change across these areas

The aim is to create a joined‑up experience where visitors can explore a challenge from multiple angles - content, solutions, people and practical next steps.

IPE: As well as the exhibition there are also 7 Solution Theatres. What’s going on at these and what sessions should people look out for?

GG: The event features seven dedicated Solution Theatres across the four exhibitions:

The Digital Transformation Solutions Theatre; AI and Industrial Data Solutions Theatre; Connected Factory Solutions Theatre; Design and Product Innovation Solutions Theatre; Leadership and Strategy Solutions Theatre, including Sales and Marketing, Workforce Development and Upskilling, Sustainability and Circular Economy, and Supply Chain Resilience streams; Maintenance Solutions Theatre; and the Manufacturers and Engineers of the Future (STEM) Solutions Theatre.

Across all seven theatres, you’ll find solution-led presentations from technology and hardware providers, manufacturing keynotes sharing best practice, and deep-dive panel discussions on the hottest topics in industry.

We’re delivering over 140 sessions across the two days - covering everything from AI productivity and digital twins to resilient supply chains, net-zero strategies and practical leadership.

Alongside the theatres, Smart Manufacturing Week once again hosts the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit. As digital continues to move beyond pilots, the Summit, designed for operations, production and digital leaders focuses on how manufacturers can scale, execute and deliver measurable return in an environment defined by cost pressure and constant change. The conference agenda includes dedicated time for delegates to visit the exhibitions to see the enabling technologies first‑hand.

A major new addition for 2026 is the introduction of the Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) Programme, delivered by Reliabilityweb in partnership with Maintec. This accelerated two‑day, closed‑door workshop helps organisations move from reactive maintenance to a proactive reliability culture and prepares participants for the accredited CRL exam.

IPE:​ There are several shows that fall under the SMW umbrella. What are these and how do they bring the show together as a whole?

GG: Smart Manufacturing Week brings together four major exhibitions under one roof:

• Smart Factory Expo - the home of digital transformation, automation, robotics, data, Industry 4.0 and the technologies powering the smart factory.
• Maintec - the UK’s only dedicated maintenance, reliability and asset management exhibition, covering predictive maintenance, condition monitoring and plant performance.
• Drives and Controls - focused on robotics, power transmission, motion control, industrial automation and machine safety.
• Design and Engineering Expo - supporting engineers and designers across the full product lifecycle, with solutions that reduce cost, accelerate development and strengthen future strategy.

Together, these shows provide a complete 360-degree view of modern manufacturing - from strategic decision-making to enabling technology, engineering fundamentals and operational excellence. Visitors can compare solutions side‑by‑side, meet multiple suppliers in one trip, and build a single, joined‑up roadmap across digital, engineering, maintenance and production.

IPE:​ What are some of the main features for visitors to look out for and what new additions can we expect in 2026?

GG: Key features for 2026 include:

1. Factory of the Future - a full‑scale, walk‑through demonstrator showing how connected, intelligent and sustainable manufacturing systems operate in practice.
2. Meet the Buyer / Meet the Supplier Programme - matching exhibitors and visitors for targeted commercial conversations, including the SMMT Meet the Buyer activity.
3. Reliabilityweb Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) Training - brand new for 2026 and delivered live on site over two days.

The entire event is designed to support manufacturers at every stage of their journey, offering real insight, real technology and real connections that help people move from ideas to action.

Grace Gilling is event director of Smart Manufacturing Week

For more information:

www.smartmanufacturingweek.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 8947 9177