3–4 June, NEC Birmingham, Med-Tech Expo 2026 reaffirmed its position as the UK’s leading event for medical device manufacturing, bringing together the technologies, expertise and industry leaders shaping the future of healthcare innovation.
Over two busy days at the NEC Birmingham, Med-Tech Expo 2026 valuable insights, practical solutions and meaningful networking opportunities for professionals across the medical technology supply chain.
A comprehensive medical manufacturing showcase
One of Med-Tech Expo’s greatest strengths is its ability to unite every stage of the medical device manufacturing process under one roof. The exhibition featured a diverse range of suppliers and solution providers, including component manufacturers, materials specialists, cleanroom experts, automation providers, contract manufacturers, testing laboratories and regulatory consultants.
Paul Marshall, CEO, Rapid Fluidics, commented: “This is actually our sixth time exhibiting at the Med-Tech Expo. There’s been a handful of really interesting new leads and that’s the great thing about doing a show like this, you find people come out of the woodwork and they have the most amazing application.”
A highlight of the event was the Start-Up Zone, bringing visitors face-to-face with a range of new start-up companies from across the med-tech sector who wouldn’t normally exhibit.
Jacqui O’Connor, Founder of MedScan3D – one of the companies exhibiting on the Start-Up Zone – said: “We’ve already booked for next year! It’s been a great event.”
Conference programme delivered valuable industry insight
The free-to-attend conference programme complemented the exhibition with a strong focus on the issues currently shaping the medical technology sector. Key themes included digital transformation, regulatory compliance, innovation in product development, and the future of healthcare manufacturing.
A highlight of the insights Stage was the panel session “Beyond Price: How Value Based Procurement is Reshaping NHS MedTech”, which brought together key policy architects and industry leaders to discuss the practical application of modern NHS framework agreements. The panel was chaired by Chris Whitehouse, with panellists David Lawson from DHSC and Ismail Hanif from Essity. Discussion centred on the structural shift in tender evaluation rules, with particular debate around the implementation of the mandatory 40/60 scoring split directive.
Networking and industry collaboration
Beyond the technologies and conference sessions, Med-Tech Expo once again demonstrated its value as a key meeting place for the medical technology community. Engineers, product developers, manufacturing specialists, quality professionals, regulatory experts and business leaders gathered to exchange ideas, build partnerships and discuss shared challenges.
The event’s focused audience created an environment conducive to meaningful conversations and productive networking. For many attendees, the opportunity to engage directly with suppliers, customer, and industry peers was just as valuable as the technologies on display.
This collaborative atmosphere reinforced the event’s role in supporting innovation and growth across the UK’s medical device sector.
The next Med-Tech Expo event will take place 15-16 September 2027 at the NEC Birmingham is expected to continue building on this momentum, further strengthening its position as the UK’s essential gathering for medical technology professionals.
