MACH 2012 took place from 16th to 20th April at the NEC
and proved a highly successful showcase for the UK’s
engineering-based manufacturing sector, as Paul
O’Donnell, head of external affairs at the Manufacturing
Technologies Association, (MTA) explains

Exhibitors reported strong sales and
visitors could hardly fail to be
impressed with the range of
technology on show. Over 21,600 visitors, a
15% increase on 2010, came through the
doors over the five days of the exhibition.

They were able to see the wares of nearly 500
exhibiting companies from 40 countries.

There were tools, applications and
precision technologies catering to a range of
sectors from aerospace to automotive,
medical to energy, oil and gas to rail. It
featured the very best from our rich, diverse
and dynamic sector and the halls of the NEC
reverberated with the sound of more than
5000 tonnes of working machinery.

Sponsored this year by Lloyds TSB
Commercial, the event was opened by Steve
Backley OBE, former javelin world record
holder, Olympic Medallist, and London 2012
Olympic Torchbearer, who toured the
exhibition and gave visitors the chance to see
the Olympic torch before the relay round
Britain began. He was joined in the ribbon
cutting ceremony by Simon Pollard,
president of the MTA and Stephen Pegge,
director of SME Markets at Lloyds TSB
Commercial. It marked the start of what
would become a hugely successful exhibition
for a variety of companies exhibiting from
across British manufacturing.

As well as being a useful place to discover
the latest technologies, MACH, played host
to a lively and informative seminar
programme which included Richard Noble,
Lloyds chief economist Trevor Williams, and
a suite of presentations from Rolls Royce on
‘manufacturing for mission critical
applications’.

Business secretary Vince Cable (pictured
with Simon Pollard, president of the MTA),
who visited the show said: “I’m delighted to
have been invited to MACH 2012 and very
pleased to have been able to meet so many of
the outstanding engineers and companies
that are here. Whether exhibiting the latest
technology or looking to apply it to dynamic
businesses the people here demonstrate the
UK’s extraordinary capacity to create,
engineer and manufacture world class
products. These technologies feed into the
value chains of so many businesses both here
and in the UK and are vital to creating a
thriving, balanced UK economy.”
Dr Cable was particularly impressed with
the Education and Training Zone, which has
become an integral feature of MACH over
the last few years. Designed to promote
engineering-based manufacturing as a career
to bright, young engineers it was visited by
some 2500 young people, many led on tours
around the exhibition by apprentices from
member companies.

As part of their tours students visited the
Bloodhound Supersonic car and the
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s
3D virtual reality centre known as the
MANTRA truck. This is a customised 14m
HGV trailer, designed to give aspiring young
engineers a hands-on experience with real
cutting edge technologies such as: a fully
operational mill-turn machine; video screens
with customised MACH content; and a 3D
virtual reality centre where students can
dismantle a virtual jet engine.

Both students and teachers commented on
the success of the venture and completed a
questionnaire to discover the usefulness of
the day, the tours and their image of
engineering and manufacturing as a result.

More than 400 questionnaires were returned
and as one 14-year old from a Sheffield
school said; “MACH has given me an even
bigger insight into the world of engineering”.

Although improving young people’s
knowledge and understanding of the industry
is part and parcel of MACH, first and
foremost it is a trade show designed to grow
businesses, generate contacts, build networks
and showcase the very best of our sector.

As MTA President Simon Pollard said
“We measure MACH’s success by what it
achieves for exhibitors in terms of sales,
orders, potential leads and new enquiries.

We create a show to foster exactly this kind
of business and networking environment and
as such MACH is now widely recognised as
the place to source, see and buy new and
innovative equipment, machinery and
applications.”
The next MACH will take place at the NEC
Birmingham from 7th to 11th April 2014.