Southern Manufacturing & Electronics, the UK’s top annual engineering show, makes an eagerly-awaited return to Farnborough from February 8th to 10th 2022.
With the 20,000m² Farnborough International Exhibition Centre all but sold out, it seems that the impact of the pandemic has apparently done very little to diminish the scope of the event, nor it would appear, the fortunes of its many regular exhibitors, a good percentage of whom will also return for 2022. The show’s wide portfolio of participants remains undiminished and covers a wide spectrum of engineering activities, from production, components and subcontract services, to engineering consultancy services. 2022 also boasts a surprising international exhibitor list, with a large contingent of European firms alongside some from even further afield. While travel remains difficult and costly, the opportunity to meet such a wide range of suppliers under one roof is a rare one indeed.
Energy – it’s use and conservation – is a well-developed theme at this year’s event. Alongside numerous purveyors of system components, the issue of reducing energy consumption is also high on the agenda. Energy saving solutions and a turnkey installation service of renewable energy and lowcarbon technologies will be showcased by Noble Green Energy. The company delivers a range of key low carbon technologies nationwide for high energy usage clients across a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, automotive, chemical, food/drink, printing and agriculture. Technologies include solar PV, battery storage, combined heat and power (CHP), biomass, heat pumps, LED lighting as well as asset finance and PPAs, monitoring and maintenance.
Energy efficiency in industry is also one of the topics touched upon in the shows free seminar programme. Graham Cooper delivers an insight to an extensive global energy usage reduction programme he ran for Agfa, which netted €15 million of savings. The ever-popular free seminar programme, which returns this year in a socially-distanced format, also covers the impacts of post Brexit and Covid-19 on HMRC R&D Tax Credits. Tim Scurlock ofApplied Lean Consulting gives some ideas on how to drive continuous improvement in your business; and Nick Aitken and Dr Alex Martin give advice on how to handle a product safety incident. Sessions run over all three days and a full list is available on the show’s website at www.industrysouth.co.uk
As a marketplace for components and technologies, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is unrivalled. UK distributors exhibiting include interconnection specialists, Selwyn Electronics with its wide range of waterproof, industrial and high performance push-lock connectors. Its waterproof range covers circular, USB, RJ45, HDMI, D type and input/output connectors, particularly suitable for marine and lighting applications, including LED lighting, but can be used in any application requiring a low cost solution where moisture or dust protection is required. The company’s range of circular connectors now includes M8 and M12 connectors which are NMEA2000-approved. Easby Electronics returns with its vast range of products including custom batteries, power supplies, semiconductors, displays, electromechanical, passive components, opto electronics, IoT devices and EV charging cables and accessories.
At Southern Manufacturing 2022 CamdenBoss, a manufacturer of high quality custom fabricated enclosures in plastic and metal, will be showcasing a range of bespoke EV charging enclosures, alongside examples of its extensive catalogue of off the shelf enclosures and electromechanical components. Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) specialises in the development of prototype components, pre-production and volume fulfilment to customers in aerospace, space, automotive and renewables. Some of its work on battery interconnects showcased on its stand at the show. Also involved with stored energy, DMS Technologies, an expert in the design and manufacture of battery systems, will be showing a new range of standard LiFePO4 batteries at Southern 2022, designed to reduce or eliminate the expense of testing conventional lithium-ion battery applications.
The show also boasts a very strong international contingent. Schurter Electronics, part of the Swiss Schurter Group, manufactures circuit protection, connectors, switches and EMC products. Transfer Multisort Elektronik (TME) is one of Europe’s largest distributors of electronic, electromechanical and industrial automatic components, as well as workplace equipment. With its headquarters in Poland, the firm has subsidiaries in 11 other and offers 500,000 products from more than 1,200 leading manufacturers. It is joined this year by Ozdisan Elektronik, Turkey’s largest electronic component distributor. Its $35m product portfolio spans semi-conductors, passive components and electro-mechanical parts from over 200 named brands. The firm also offers PCB production and assembly, together with a full EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Service) with 9 SMT lines offering double-side SMT and through-hole assembly capability to ISO and IATF-16949.
Safety of exhibitors and visitors is, of course, a high priority as business returns to face-to-face communication. Wide-ranging anti-infection measureswill be in place at Southern 2022, among them purified fresh air ventilation throughout the facility, all designed to create a relatively low-risk environment. There’s free on-site car parking for 3,500 vehicles, plus a dedicated shuttle bus service running direct to the show from Farnborough’s railway stations. The venue is equipped with a high standard of facilities including a free WiFi service and good quality catering outlets, which means there’s no need to venture outside the venue.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2022 opens from February 8th to 10th. Admission to the exhibition is free of charge. More information and tickets are available from www.industrysouth.co.uk
