Subcon back with a bang

technology issues, industry and technology trends and practical aspects of supply chain design and management. The aim is for the content to have a direct relevance to attendees that they can apply to their business.

and services – from additive manufacturing and metrology solutions to frictionless bearings, cables and controls, and everything in between. The organisers say the show is geared to helping you increase capacity, optimise productivity, improve flexibility and remain competitive.

Two conference theatres

Two conference features –focusing on innovation and supply chain issues – will offer dedicated presentations and panel discussions focusing on hot

Key strands include automation, digitalisation, reshoring, supply chain resilience, market opportunities, sourcing strategy, net zero, skills, additive manufacturing and much more.

Must-see sessions

The programme starts with a keynote session entitled ‘Manufacturers leading the charge in making change’. This will be presented by Alain Dilworth, the programme manager for the Made Smarter North West adoption programme, which works with SMEs to accelerate their digital transformation.

The second day starts with a keynote speech from Professor Paul Monks, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero, which asks the question, ‘Are manufacturers ready for the challenges of moving to a net zero world?’

The conference stream closes with a keynote from Jon Harrison of UK steel on putting UK produced steel at the heart of UK supply chains.

Panel discussion include, ‘Energy choices for manufacturers’, with panellists including speakers from Aggreko and Bryt Energy; ‘Bringing home the supply chain’ which will focus on the desirability and practice of bring work back to UK suppliers; ‘What gear is UK Automotive sector in?’ looking at the current status of that key sector; and ‘UK recovery – what are the new markets and how accessible are they?’ with speakers including Mike Wilson, Chief Automation Officer of the MTC and Philippa Oldham, Stakeholder Engagement Director at the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK.

You can register for your ticket and see the full conference programme (subject to amendment) on the Subcon website www.subconshow.co.uk.

See what’s on show

With over 200 exhibitors and thousands of products and innovations on display, Subcon is a must-attend event for the engineering sector. Here are some highlights of what is on show.

Bag sponsor for the show is Omnidex (Stand C141) a Britishowned and managed company providing a single-source provider for all manner of metal and plastic fabrication, casting, machining, finishing, assembly and other manufacturing services, from concept to completion.

Registration sponsor for the show is Turkish Machinery (Stand D121) , the Turkish Machinery Exporters’ Association, which represents and promotes the interests of its 18,000 members in Europe’s sixth largest machine tool sector. The Turkish machinery sector has recorded robust growth over the past decade and has increased by more than 400% since 2003. It is now Turkey’s second largest exporter, worth some $25.5bn in

2022 – equivalent to 10% of total exports.

Citizen Machinery (Stand A119) combines two leading manufacturers of CNC automatic lathes: Cincom sliding head lathes up to 38mm, and Miyano fixed headstock lathes from 36mm up to

80mm. Citizen offers highly productive and cost-effective solutions for your complex metal-cutting requirements.

Cornelius Electronics (Stand A121) has become a well-known and leading subcontract manufacturer of box build, bespoke cable assemblies and wiring harnesses, serving a variety of industries. The company says it has the has the technology to deliver repeatable, qualitycontrolled and scalable production quantities to help your business.

EDMO (Stand A141) is a bespoke aluminium extrusion supplier. Its complete range of extrusion and machining services is complemented by powder coating and assembly divisions. The services are delivered by a global network of specialists, keeping prices competitive and lead times short.

For more than 40 years, Faro (Stand E109) has been a pioneer in ‘Reality Capture’; bridging the digital and physical worlds through data-driven reliable accuracy, precision and immediacy, providing industryleading technology solutions that enable customers to measure their world and use that data to make smarter decisions faster.

JKN Oil Tools (Stand C119) is a Precision Engineering Company based in West Yorkshire producing high-quality subcontract machined parts and fabrications to customers’ specifications and on-time delivery. It supplies components and fabrications to a large variety of customers, including major pump manufacturers, valve companies, food machine manufacturers and a wide range of smaller sectors.

Keyence (Stand A99) has steadily grown since 1974 to become an innovative leader in the development and manufacturing of industrial automation and inspection equipment worldwide. Its products consist of code readers, laser markers, machine vision systems, measuring systems, microscopes, sensors, and static eliminators.

Modula Storage Solutions (Stand E128) provides customers with effective storage solutions. Modula manufactures automated storage solutions offering one of the most advanced picking systems in the Vertical Life Module market. Modula is headquartered in Salvaterra di Reggio Emilia, Italy and Lewiston (ME) in the USA. Modula also distributes its services worldwide.

Oldham Engineering (Stand C129) is an established subcontract medium to heavy engineering business. Its services include precision CNC machining, fabrication, welding, robotic welding, mechanical assembly, equipment refurbishment, turnkey projects and project management. It can both batch manufacture and produce bespoke smaller quantities and one-offs.

Powdertech Surface Science (Stand G120) provides technically advanced powder coating and surface treatment services to the automotive, medical and specialist niche sectors. Customers benefit from expertise built on years of experience in highly regulated industries, together with the scientific knowledge of a wellqualified team.

Shropshire Stainless and Aluminium (SSA) (Stand G123) is a metals and plastics stockholder based in the UK and Ireland specialising in the supply and processing of aluminium and stainless steel from European suppliers.

Vector Blue Hub (Stand F108) is a specialist electronics design and manufacturing services company based in Poland. It offers an ‘Under One Roof’ concept, where the design and manufacturing services remain in one place to accelerate time to market.

At Subcon, Grenville Engineering (Stand D120) aims to impress attendees with its expertise in metal fabrication solutions. In addition to showcasing its fibre laser cutting technology and metal forming capabilities, Grenville Engineering is also excited to showcase its plans for new investments in tube laser and robotic welding.

The Tube Laser, due to be installed in September this year will allow Grenville Engineering to cut and shape tubes with precision and speed, complementing the Trumpf and Bystronic fibre laser technology, making it easier to create complex structures and designs.

Sales Director, Stuart Rawlinson explained "The investments in the new tube laser and robotic cowelder are an important move for Grenville Engineering. By staying up-todate with the latest technology, we can remain competitive in t he market and continually improve our services to customers, whilst reducing lead times and increasing our capacity. With the ability to offer a wider variety of parts, we can expand our customer base and attract new business".

The Robotic Cowelder will work alongside the current 22 welding stations and enable the company to automate some of their welding processes, leading to faster production times, increased efficiency and consistently high welding quality.

Stuart explained, "We're off to a great start this year and continue to grow. Therefore, we require these investments to keep up with both our current and future customers."

Together, these investments will help Grenville Engineering provide even better solutions to its clients, enter new markets and stay ahead of the competition.

Overall, Grenville Engineering says its presence at SUBCON is not to be missed, as it continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the world of metal fabrication.

Stuart and the team are excited to return to Subcon for the seventh year in a row. They will be at Stand D120 and available to discuss any of your fabrication needs.

Automechanika Birmingham, the UK’s largest automotive trade exhibition, has reported unprecedented visitor demand with registration levels over twice as high as for the 2019 event.

Visitor registrations for supply chain stakeholders are almost 300 percent higher than expectations set by event team Messe Frankfurt UK.

Taking place from 6-8 June 2023 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, the event will be the first Automechanika held in the UK since 2019, with exciting brands exhibiting including Bilstein Group, Bosch, Brembo, Castrol, Delphi, HELLA, LIQUI MOLY, MANN & HUMMEL and ZF Aftermarket.

The free event offers aftermarket professionals the opportunity to source the latest tools, technology and innovations, and network with the UK market to share challenges and insight.

A key feature of Automechanika Birmingham is the Automotive Supply Chain Forum, in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The Forum takes place amid fast-paced changes on the automotive supply chain horizon, and will offer key insights into the opportunities available to help future-proof the industry.

Key discussions will focus on constantly evolving technology and its effect on the supply chain. This, combined with the 2030 deadline on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles, means future