The future of manufacturing – Smart Manufacturing Week 2025


As Industry 4.0 continues to evolve Smart Manufacturing Week 2025 (June 4-5) provides a platform to examine how emerging technologies, ideas, and businesses are shaping the sector. With a focus on digital transformation, workforce development, AI, growth, supply chains, and automation, the event will offer insights into the trends and technologies influencing the future of manufacturing and engineering. Smart Machines & Factories reports.
The MTC: West Midlands RAS Cluster launches brand refresh and new website


The West Midlands RAS (Robotics and Autonomous Systems) Cluster, a collaborative group founded by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and University of Birmingham has announced the launch of the group’s new online presence.
Make UK’s Industrial Strategy Skills Commission Proposes Sweeping Reforms


The UK’s economic and productivity crisis can only be solved through a highly skilled workforce, equipped with the latest technologies and the ability to use them effectively. That is the key message from Make UK’s Industrial Strategy Skills Commission, which has laid out an ambitious blueprint for reforming the country’s vocational training landscape.
Atlas Copco unveils its largest energy storage system for heavy industry


Atlas Copco has introduced its most powerful energy storage system to date—the ZBC 1000-1200—capable of delivering 1MW of power from a single unit. Designed to meet the energy demands of heavy industries, the ZBC 1 MW system employs advanced battery technology to provide a dependable power source while reducing emissions by up to 90% and lowering operational costs.
Pump industry excellence is celebrated once more


On 13th March, and for the third consecutive year, the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) returned to the famous St George’s Park in Staffordshire for the staging of its 2025 Pump Industry Awards presentation evening.
SME manufacturers in Southern England invited to accelerate digital transformation


Manufacturing leaders across Southern England are being urged to sign up to Made Smarter, the UK Government programme helping SMEs embrace digital technologies for growth.
AI driving responsible management, industrial automation, and energy efficiency


Schneider Electric recently outlined how its global AI positioning unites data science with business domain knowledge to lead the discussion and disrupt industrial automation and energy management
Enabling industry to switch from gas to electricity will boost both international and domestic investment


Electrify Industry, powered by Make UK, launched recently in the Houses of Parliament when some of Britain’s most innovative industrial companies came together to help industry electrify.
Further blow for UK growth revealed


More than half of small and medium sized engineering and manufacturing businesses expect to employ less people, due to increased costs and taxes, new data from a leading organisation has shown.
Manufacturing hits the buffers as tax and cost increases bite


Britain’s manufacturers have hit the buffers as a wave of increasing employment taxes and wider business costs bite hard, as well as worries of a global trade war according to new figures in a major survey published today (17/3)by Make UK and business advisory firm BDO.
Bridging the Gender and Skills Gap: Smart Manufacturing Week Drives Inclusive Engineering


Smart Manufacturing Week has announced partnerships with both Women into Science & Engineering (WISE) and the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), underscoring its commitment to fostering diversity in the manufacturing and engineering sectors. Through these strategic partnerships with organisations dedicated to gender equality in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) Smart Manufacturing Week is helping to break down barriers and create more opportunities for women to thrive in an industry that has historically struggled with gender diversity, with the end goal of a more inclusive and dynamic workforce.
Talking Industry: Using smart maintenance to slash operating costs


For November’s Talking Industry two specialists in smart maintenance gave their insight into how this approach can deliver measurable cost savings, enhance productivity, and drive smarter decision-making.Talking Industry Chair Andy Pye reports
£83bn boost to UK economy over the next decade if Britain’s SME manufacturers achieve their growth ambitions

Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. There are 250,000active manufacturing businesses in the UK, with 99% of these micro and small to medium companies. Almost two-thirds (64%) of these SMEs have the ambition to grow into large businesses which could deliver £83bn to manufacturing GVA over the next decade.
PEMAC joins Elecosoft to enhance asset management and digital transformation solutions


PEMAC, a leading provider of cloud-based computerised maintenance management software (CMMS) has announced it has joined the Elecosoft group which specialises in software solutions for the building lifecycle.
From factory floor hacks to future trends: Smart Manufacturing Week 2025


The NEC Birmingham will once again play host to Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW) the UK’s largest festival of advanced manufacturing and engineering on 4–5 June 2025. SMW brings together a powerful lineup of events, including Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, Drives & Controls, Design + Engineering Expo and the Air-Tech and Fluid Power and systems zones. H&P reports.
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SMART Manufacturing & Engineering Week
04 - 05 June, 2025
NEC, Birmingham UK -
PPMA 2025
23 September, 2025, 9:30 - 25 September, 2025, 16:00
NEC, Birmingham UK -
Advanced Engineering Show 2025
29 October, 2025, 9:00 - 30 October, 2025, 16:00
NEC, Birmingham UK