From Factory Floor Hacks to Future Trends: Smart Manufacturing Week 2025

20 January, 2025

Building on the success of the 2024 event, which attracted 13,500 visitors as well as more than 450 exhibitors and 200 speakers and was named Best Tradeshow at the Conference & Events Awards 2024, SMW 2025 is poised to deliver an even larger, more ambitious, and more transformative event, with more international manufacturers and engineers expected to visit this year. Free visitor registration is now open and a limited number of Premium Plus Visitor passes are available to be purchased. To register visit: https://bit.ly/4iy8LxT

Reflecting on the 2024 event, Malcolm Greenhill of Charter Controls, said: “This is the best exhibition we’ve ever done, and I’ve been participating in exhibitions at the NEC since 1983.” Charter Controls returns to SMW in 2025 as a Platinum Partner, underscoring its trust in the event.

Emphasising the ‘must see’ nature of the event is the presence of prominent exhibitors including Schneider Electric, FANUK UK, 3M, Epicor, Binder UK, Cembre, Charter Controls, Ericsson, Hoffmann Group and ifm Electronic. Alongside other big names the exhibition floor will showcase the most influential players in industry.

Amongst these giant technology players are cutting-edge startups and the innovative small businesses set to revolutionise the sector. At the heart of Smart Factory Expo, Innovation Alley will feature emerging manufacturing technologies with exhibitors across four key categories: ‘People’ focusing on Wellbeing, Workforce Management, Recruitment and Training and Skills, ‘Product’ which centres in on Design, R&D and Materials, ‘Process’ which includes Productivity, Resilience, Supply Chain and AI and ‘Planet’ which encompasses NetZero, Sustainability and Energy Management. Following the success of 2024, where attendees engaged with groundbreaking solutions from the next wave of tech and consultancy businesses, the 2025 event will provide opportunities to meet start-ups and early-stage companies and their founders, uncovering transformative technologies that promise to shape manufacturing over the next decade.

Visitor Trails offer an exciting way to explore the vast show floor, guiding attendees to the most relevant exhibitors and must-see presentations. From Automation & Robotics to Sustainability, Industrial Data & AI, and Product Innovation & Design these thoughtfully curated pathways make it easy to navigate the show and ensure visitors won’t miss out on what’s important. The free educational programme is comprehensive with seven solutions theatres dedicated to addressing a wide array of topics including; Digital

Transformation, Industrial Data & AI, IIoT & Connectivity, Design & Innovation, Automation & Robotics, Leadership & Strategy and Maintenance. New this year is the Technology Showcase Theatre, where visitors can see and get their hands on an array of cutting-edge innovations. Offering a rare glimpse into future developments and prototypes, the theatre will feature everything from advanced robotics to wearable technologies, bringing the next generation of breakthroughs to life.