The first-ever Automation UK show in June 2023 proved to be a huge success. The show provided an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations in automation and robotics to a wide range of visitors. Buoyed by this success, the show will return in 2024, taking place on 18 and 19 June at the CBS Arena in Coventry.
The show’s prime purpose is to promote the importance of automation and robotics to the future growth of the UK economy. By highlighting the potential of these technologies, the show seeks to encourage more businesses to invest in these areas.
The show organisers, British Automation & Robot Association (BARA), have responded to the increased levels of interest and participation by doubling the exhibition space for next year’s show. The 2023 show already featured big brands as exhibitors, showing that there is an appetite for an exhibition of this type in the UK. Some of the founding companies include ABB, Fanuc, Mills CNC, Piab, Pilz, Yaskawa, KUKA, RM Group, Schubert, CKF, Festo, and RARUK Automation.
One of the exhibitors, Rachel Duckworth, Marketing Manager at Beckhoff said: “We have found the show extremely rewarding – we’ve already booked a stand, double the size for 2024! Most people visiting the stand have been decision-makers looking for automation solutions to their industrial challenges. So, the quality of the visitors is what has really sold the show to me.”
The World Robotics 2023 report by the International Federation of Robotics reported that the robotics industry is predicted to continue to grow year-on-year, a 7% increase is forecasted for 2024. BARA urges automation and robotics suppliers to ensure that they are best positioned to capitalise on this growth by exhibiting at Automation UK. This event is the perfect platform for suppliers to showcase their state-of-the-art solutions, enabling their businesses to stay ahead of the competition.
In 2023, visitors to the show included the following well-known brands: Amazon, Arla Foods, Bentley Motors, BMW Group, DeBeers, DHL, Ferrero, Gillette, Greggs, GSK, Hachette UK Distribution, Hotel Chocolat, Jaguar Land Rover, Kellogg’s, Kraftheinz, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Mitsubishi Electric, Morrisons, Muller UK & Ireland Group, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, Ocado, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Rolls Royce, Royal Air Force, Royal Mail, Siemens, Sony, Tata Technologies, Tesco, and UPS.
Mark Stepney, Managing Director at Schubert said: “The quality of visitors to the show has been exceptional, over 80% of the visitors that came to our stand were from companies that we had never met before. It was also outside of the process and packaging market, giving us a wider scope to market to.”
The show attracts many different types of companies. In 2023, the top five visitor company types were OEM, end user, machine builder, systems integrator, and engineering consultancy. These visitors were looking for solutions such as robotics, robotic systems, automated assembly machine systems, industrial automation control, robotic tooling, grippers, end effectors, parts handling equipment, conveyors & materials, autonomous mobile robots & guided vehicles, motion control equipment, systems integration & consulting, and machine safety and safety equipment.
The versatility of automation and robotics solutions have already proven successful in many industries. Automation UK attracts a vast amount of visitors from industries such as manufacturing, retail/consumer, automotive, electrical, electronics, engineering, aerospace, maritime, food, drink, logistics, transport, oil, gas and nuclear.
Automation UK will once again be co-located alongside Machine Vision Conference (MVC), organised by UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA), giving visitors an opportunity to visit the MVC conference for the latest vision technology and services from world-leading companies in industrial vision and imaging.
BARA, UKIVA and PPMA (Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) are part of Automate UK (formerly the PPMA Group of Associations). Automate UK is the leading trade association for automation suppliers and end users of technology across processing, packaging, robotics and machine vision.
For more information and to book your exhibition space, please visit: www.automation-uk.co.uk.
