A strengthened partnership will showcase UK industrial and defence innovation
Make UK and Make UK Defence will, for the first time, host a joint pavilion at Advanced Engineering 2026, bringing together two of the UK’s most influential industrial advocates in a single, visible platform.
The move reflects their shared role at the centre of UK manufacturing and defence – representing thousands of companies to government and policymakers – and their commitment to making sure the realities of doing business are heard in national debates on industrial strategy, growth, skills, regulation, net zero and national security.
By combining their presence at Advanced Engineering, the associations are not only creating a stronger showcase for members but also using the event as a live listening post. The pavilion will give engineers, leaders and innovators a direct route to the organisations representing the industry, especially at a time when decisions on industrial strategy, defence spending and technology investment are being made.
“Make UK and Make UK Defence are the leading organisations that key stakeholders turn to when they want to know what is really happening in UK manufacturing and the defence supply chain” says Simon Farnfield, Head of UK Manufacturing Cluster at Easyfairs “Bringing them together in a single pavilion at Advanced Engineering is about more than exhibition real estate – it is about giving industry a stronger, more coordinated voice”
Advocates at the heart of UK industrial policy
Make UK and Make UK Defence are recognised as leading interlocutors between industry and government. They provide data, analysis and frontline insight that shape policy on everything from skills and productivity to export support, defence procurement and regulation.
At Advanced Engineering, this advocacy role will be highly visible. Members and visitors will be able to talk directly with policy and public affairs teams, share what is making projects “increasingly hard work to get over the line”, and feed into the evidence base that shapes future government decisions.
“In a year when engineers are battling volatile energy costs, skills shortages, supply chain disruption and rising expectations on net zero and digitalisation, having these two leading advocates on the show floor creates a direct feedback loop between real projects and national policy”, says Simon Farnfield.
A platform for innovation, resilience and growth
The launch of the joint pavilion reflects the way advanced engineering now works in practice: technologies, talent and supply chains increasingly span multiple sectors, and the most successful projects often combine expertise across industries.
Stephen Phipson CBE, CEO, Make UK said:
“By presenting a unified presence, Make UK and Make UK Defence aim to demonstrate how collaboration between civil and defence manufacturers can accelerate innovation, support export growth and enhance the UK’s industrial resilience.
“While the pavilion will have a strong advocacy dimension, it is also a commercial and technical platform for members. Exhibiting companies will be able to demonstrate how UK manufacturing and defence suppliers are addressing real world problems at the design and development stages – from electrification and lightweighting to automation, advanced materials, AI enabled tools and new testing approaches.”
Companies interested in exhibiting in the Make UK / Make UK Defence pavilion at Advanced Engineering 2026 should contact their Make UK or Make UK Defence representative, or the Advanced Engineering team, for information on availability and participation options.
For more information visit: makeuk.org