Engineering solutions on an industrial scale

As it reaches the end of its second decade, Southern Manufacturing and Electronics remains firmly ensconced in its position as the South’s top industrial show, not to mention its growing prominence on the national and international event calendar. Alongside an impressive cross-section of the UK’s industrial and engineering scene, Southern 2017 hosts a significant number of international firms in its purpose-built 18,000m² venue. With about  800 firms expected to take part, Southern 2017 is a major event by any measure.

The rescheduling of the event to March brings with it an extra hour of daylight and hopefully a respite from the wintery conditions that have affected past events. Over the last year, the show site alongside Farnborough Airport in Hampshire has seen some significant improvements to access and infrastructure, which together with the later timing of the show should make it more convenient for visitors. The 2016 exhibition pulled in more than 8600 visitors - a new record which the organisers are confident of beating this year.  

As the first major industrial exhibition of the New Year in the UK, it offers individuals thinking of investing in new plant and machinery an early opportunity to evaluate the latest products from many manufacturers and vendors. At the big-ticket end of the scale, major machinery manufacturers such as Yamazaki Mazak, Matsuura, Haas Automation, Bystronic, XYZ Machine Tools, Hurco, Bruderer and CMZ will be running live demonstrations of their latest offerings. Complementing these will be a full range of associated suppliers, providing everything from tooling, workholding and production aids. 

Components and OEM parts are one of the key features of the show and Southern Manufacturing now attracts vendors from all over the world, offering an opportunity to meet companies and products you wouldn’t normally expect to see at a domestic show. Examples include Swiss ceramic component specialist, Ceramaret, KS Terminals from Taiwan, Cosel Europe, Yamaichi Electronics and Vexos from Germany, and Poland’s Transfer Multisort Elekronik, one of central Europe’s leading distributors of electronic products and components.

Motion control, fluid power, drives, sensors, HMI’s and electromechanical components are, as usual, well represented. Igus UK returns with its wide range of cost-effective, lightweight and maintenance-free bearings and cable management systems. Other regular exhibitors returning for 2017 include HepcoMotion with its range of linear, track and ring motion systems, and cable management specialists Kabelschlepp Metool. KNF Neuberger UK and MB Air Systems will be demonstrating a variety of compressed gas applications, while Variohm Eurosensor exhibits a selection of its sensor solutions. Machine safety specialist Bernstein also returns for 2017, and there are literally hundreds of other suppliers of industrial hardware and consumables, among them Filtermist, Brady, Optris Infrared Thermometers, Q8 Oils, Ambersil and Henkel Loctite.

Seminars

The show’s free seminar programme alone is an important reason to visit the exhibition. The seminars tackle a wide variety of technical and commercial topics, and are designed to appeal to anyone involved in engineering or manufacturing, from business advice to reviews of the latest advances in manufacturing technology. The programme for 2017 offers its customary high standard of presenters drawn from industry, academia and commerce. A total of 28 sessions over three days will include an overview of advanced manufacturing and 3D Printing, enclosure design, Industry 4.0 and the regulatory significance of the Brexit vote. Pre-booking is recommended.

Admission to the exhibition and the technical seminars is free, and FIVE Farnborough offers abundant complimentary car parking. A free shuttle bus runs between the exhibition and both of Farnborough's railway stations. To sign-up for tickets or for a full listing of exhibitors and a searchable database of the products on show, please go to: industrysouth.co.uk  Pre-registered visitors will receive a free copy of the show’s Preview magazine profiling more than 100 exhibitors, plus a free copy of the show guide.