News

Smart Manufacturing Week (SMW), the UK’s biggest festival of advanced manufacturing and engineering, has unveiled a fresh look and exciting new features for next year’s show, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on 3-4 June 2026 which includes Smart Factory Expo, Maintec, Drives & Controls,  Design & Engineering Expo, Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit and The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards. 

The first change to note is SMW’s brand new logo, the colours and style of which match the forward-thinking and technology driven modern world of engineering and manufacturing, and align with the evolution of the event as a fun and exciting place to visit.  

Commenting on SMW’s redesign, Verity Noon, Marketing Director at event organiser, Nineteen Group said: “We wanted a brand that feels as electric as the industry it represents. The bright, neon and modern creative, inspired by our music festival theme, captures the sparks of innovation and energy at the heart of Smart Manufacturing Week. The dynamic design also reflects the pace of change in manufacturing – always evolving and alive with possibility.” 

Other fringe events will also be taking place as part of SMW 26, including The Manufacturer Directors’ Forum breakfasts and dinners, the Marketing to Manufacturers Breakfast, and partner events. The result is a full-spectrum view of the technologies and trends driving modern industry, attended by over 13,500 manufacturers, engineers, designers, maintenance professionals, industry leaders and technology solution providers from across every vertical sector. 

With digital transformation, AI and workforce skills challenges to the fore, this year’s event helps manufacturers tackle change with confidence. From advanced automation and robotics to essential maintenance and asset management, the event delivers both future vision and practical know-how. 

In addition to showcasing technical innovations, a strong lineup of speakers from across industry and academia will share the ideas and strategies shaping manufacturing today and preparing it for what comes next. 

As in previous years, 2026 will also play host to the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit. This two-day conference for senior leaders, which attracts many of the top 250 manufacturers from across the UK, is focussed on the application of digital technologies to enhance the processes, efficiencies, and outcomes of the manufacturing industry. 

In addition, the evening of 3 June will see the announcement of The Manufacturer Top 100. The awards programme scours the length and breadth of the nation to find the 100 most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, nominated by The Manufacturer’s audience, the industrial community and judged by a panel of industry leaders, academics and manufacturing associations. 

What’s new for Smart Manufacturing Week 2026? 

However, the new logo is far from the only new addition to the SMW experience. SMW 2026 will include a raft of new features and attractions for visitors, delegates and sponsors alike.  

2026 will see the introduction of Fight Fest – taking place on the Accu Bots stand, Fight Fest is a new, high-energy competitive element of the show aligned with automation and robotics – a core theme of the event – and located within Drives & Controls. A dynamic blend of sport, engineering and mechanical mayhem will come together to create this gladiatorial robot fighting competition that allows students across the UK to get hands-on experience in engineering. Visitors will be able to battle it out with custom made robots to fight for glory. In addition, there will be professional teams competing live at the show throughout the course of the two days.

Theatres: Additional stages will be located around the main show floor featuring specialised content created around key themes in the sector. Curated by the conference producer and editorial team at The Manufacturer the keynote and panel sessions will draw on years of experience in the sector, and will be delivered by experts. In addition, following the smash success of 2025’s keynote from former F1 boss Guenther Steiner there will be additional showstopper keynotes added to the event in 2026.

The topics covered across the theatres include design, maintenance, supply chain, automation and robotics, IIOT and connectivity, sustainability, industrial data and AI, and leadership and strategy. These are:

• Digital Transformation Solutions Theatre
• AI & Industrial Data Solutions Theatre
• Connected Factory Solutions Theatre
• Design & Product Innovation Solutions Theatre
• Leadership & Strategy Solutions Theatre
• Maintenance Solutions Theatre
• Manufacturers & Engineers of the Future Solutions Theatre

The Future Stage: Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 introduces the Future Stage — your window into the future of industry. From pioneering start-ups to global innovators, it’s where bold ideas, breakthrough tech and radical thinking collide, exploring the disruptive trends that will define the decade ahead. Alongside this, our specialist theatres deliver high-value, expertly curated content on digital transformation, AI and data, connected factories, automation and robotics, maintenance, supply chain, sustainability, leadership, design and skills. And to top it off, the Show Keynote returns bigger than ever — with not one but two unforgettable headline speakers, building on the smash success of 2025’s appearance from former F1 boss Guenther Steiner

The Ambassador Programme celebrates individuals passionate about driving change in manufacturing and engineering, giving them a platform to share insights that help the whole industry thrive. New for 2026, the programme goes further — introducing exclusive networking time for ambassadors to connect, collaborate and tackle today’s most pressing challenges together. This expansion strengthens their role as champions of change and deepens their impact on the future of the event.Commenting on the programme, Verity added: “Our Ambassador Programme was a huge success last year, spotlighting leaders in digital transformation, supply chain resilience, sustainability and people and skills. This year we’re building on that momentum, expanding the programme to bring even more voices and expertise to the table. It’s about celebrating the champions driving change in manufacturing and engineering and creating a platform for them to share insights that inspire the whole community. 

Ambassador Themes 2026

• Digital Transformation – Driving smart factories and data-led innovation.
• Supply Chain Resilience – Anticipating disruption, maintaining continuity and driving reliability across operations.
• Sustainability – Driving progress towards Net Zero through decarbonisation, reducing waste, prioritising repairability, and designing with reuse at the core.
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Building the workforce of the future by championing diversity, developing leadership, strengthening STEM pipelines, and nurturing next-generation talent.

1-2-1 supplier/buyer meetings: SMW will also provide a dedicated networking platform with the ability to arrange 1-2-1 meetings making it easier for attendees to find the right people who match their requirements. At a large trade show, where it can be challenging to connect with the most relevant contacts, this is a vital tool, supported by additional matchmaking services and onsite assistance to facilitate meaningful introductions.

In-depth Digital Supplements: SMW is researched and delivered by The Manufacturer, magazine – the voice of the industry. As part of our year-round content programme, we produce a series of in-depth digital supplements aligned with the key themes of the show. Each supplement is packed with how-to guides, best practices, pitfalls to avoid, case studies, application stories, thought leadership and technology showcases — giving manufacturers practical insight they can put into action. 

Supplement themes in the run-up to the show include: 

• Maintenance (already published – read here)
• AI (aligned with Smart Factory Expo – November 2025)
• Robotics & Automation (aligned with Drives & Controls – February 2026)
• 3D Printing (with the Design and Engineering Expo – May 2026) 

The UK’s largest festival of advanced manufacturing and engineering 

Whether you’re on the shopfloor or in the boardroom, every role across manufacturing and engineering is catered for at SMW 26.  

The music festival theme will once again be at the forefront of the overall look and feel at the show, creating an environment and atmosphere for people to be entertained and surprised as well as being able to make connections, find solutions and plan strategies. New features, experiences and music artists will also enhance what has become the Glastonbury of manufacturing and engineering. 

Why It Matters

Manufacturing and engineering operate in a challenging and constantly changing environment. However, researched and produced by The Manufacturer – which speaks with industry on a daily basis – the format of the show has been able to respond to these ever-evolving industry challenges, with more relevant content, experiences and design. 

Building on the success of the 2025 event, which attracted more than 450 exhibitors and 200 speakers, SMW, winner of the Best Tradeshow at the Conference & Events Awards 2024, is poised to deliver an even larger, more ambitious and more transformative event in 2026. 

With its commitment to innovation, SMW has become the fastest-growing festival of advanced manufacturing and engineering in the UK. And to this end, there has been added emphasis in 2026 on attracting international visitors and exhibitors, making it a truly global gathering. 

Grace Gilling, Managing Director of The Manufacturer, organisers of Smart Manufacturing Week said: “Smart Manufacturing Week has grown year on year, and that comes from us being genuinely passionate about this industry and the people in it. We listen, we learn, and we keep building on the feedback to make sure it’s valuable and relevant. It’s now firmly part of the industry’s calendar — a place where the whole community comes together, all the key topics are on the table, and new ideas get shared. We’re excited to keep pushing it forward, and 2026 will bring some great new elements into the mix.” 

SMW 2026 will have a fresh look, new features, but will still deliver that unrivalled quality and be a comprehensive one-stop-shop for manufacturing and engineering professionals, from shop floor to top floor. Researched and produced by The Manufacturer – the team at the heart of industry every day – SMW 26 will offer more ways to connect and will set the stage for the future of advanced manufacturing and engineering. 

What you need to do… 

• Register your interest: www.smartmanufacturingweek.com/register-interest-2026
• Save the date: 3-4 June 2026 – Birmingham NEC
• Subscribe to the SMW newsletter: www.smartmanufacturingweek.com/sign-up-newsletter
• Book a stand: www.smartmanufacturingweek.com/book-stand-smart-manufacturing-week-2026 
• Apply to be a speaker: enquiries@smartmanufacturingweek.co.uk