The future of manufacturing – Smart Manufacturing Week 2025

09 April, 2025

Smart Manufacturing Week brings together Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, Drives & Controls, Design + Engineering Expo, as well as the Air-Tech and Fluid Power & Systems zones, offering something for everyone. This year’s event provides a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of hydraulics and pneumatics within the industry’s broader challenges and innovations.

Taking place on June 4-5 at the NEC Birmingham, Smart Manufacturing Week 2025 brings together experts, innovators, manufacturers and engineers from around the world. Grace Gilling, Event Director said: “Over the past four years, Smart Manufacturing Week has evolved into a powerhouse event, growing in both scale and influence. We’ve expanded significantly; there are more event components, more exhibitors, and more visitors, making it an unmissable fixture in the manufacturing calendar. Based upon our research we have put together an event that is a showcase of the entire manufacturing lifecycle.”

At the heart of Smart Manufacturing Week 2025 is the exploration of digital technologies that are transforming the way products are made. One repeated theme of the event will be the integration of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning into manufacturing processes. These technologies are making it possible to collect vast amounts of data from machines and sensors, that in turn provide manufacturers with the real-time insights needed to optimise performance, reduce waste, and enhance product quality.

Key sessions for professionals

As much as the exhibition halls will be a hive of innovation, the event’s educational programme will see experts exploring the latest thinking and presenting real-world case studies and examples.

The educational programme at Smart Manufacturing Week 2025 has been developed in response to extensive research that identified the critical challenges facing manufacturers and engineers today. The seven Solutions Theatres will cover a range of topics coming from that research, including Digital Transformation, Industrial Data & AI, IIoT & Connectivity, Design & Innovation, Automation & Robotics, Leadership & Strategy, Maintenance, and a new Technology Showcase Arena. Each of these theatres will deliver practical, actionable insights that manufacturers can apply directly to improve their operations.

For example, Daniel Simkiss, Industry 4.0 Programme Lead at British Sugar, will present a session on Data Analytics and Insights for Decision-Making, during which he will explore how data analytics is enabling smarter decision-making in his manufacturing environment. This session will cover how predictive maintenance, fuelled by real-time data, is enhancing system uptime and reducing maintenance costs.