From 3–5 February 2026, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026 returned to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre for its best-attended edition in its 29-year history. The show welcomed 10,722 attendees and 571 exhibitors, representing a 5.6 per cent year-on-year increase in attendance.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026 opened with a pre-recorded address from Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade. He underlined the importance of manufacturing and engineering to the UK economy and highlighted the role of innovation in driving future growth.
This set the tone for an event focused on practical insight and future investment, with visitors able to engage directly with exhibitors and compare options across a wide range of technologies and services. First-time exhibitor MPE Electronics showcased its high-reliability contract electronics manufacturing services, spanning PCB assembly and full box build. Newbury Electronics drew strong interest by demonstrating its fully in-house, end-to-end electronics manufacturing capability.
Major brands including Sony, Panasonic, Matsuura and Mazak added to the scale and profile of the event.
Attendees emphasised the value of face-to-face engagement. “I’ve had some really good conversations, I managed to get what I needed by speaking directly with suppliers and seeing their capabilities,” said Andre Oliveira of McLaren Automotive. “Events are important, because there’s sometimes a gap in know-how when it comes to properly transferring knowledge and information.”
The seminar programme attracted strong attendance, with a full schedule of free-to-attend, CPD-accredited sessions delivered across two theatres. Topics included digital transformation, supply chain resilience, sustainability, process optimisation and advanced manufacturing, with a strong emphasis on real-world implementation. Among the speakers was Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, who outlined the current manufacturing landscape. Visitors also heard from speakers representing Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Renishaw, Airbus, Sourceability and a range of technical specialists and solution providers.
Sponsors CDT / TTL / Siemens, The Electronics Group and Syn-Star were all represented on the floor, highlighting applied technologies that support manufacturers across the production lifecycle.
The Global Electronics Association hosted two skills competitions: the IPC Hand Soldering Competition, judged to IPC-A-610 Class 3, and the first European Cable & Wire Harness Competition, assessed to IPC/WHMA-A-620. Justyna Mikolajczyk, Production Technician at Zettlex/Novanta, won the IPC Hand Soldering Competition with 882 out of 887 points, claiming the UK Champion 2026 title and a place at the World Championships at Electronica in Munich in November. Adam Fidura, Electronics Expert & Systems Test at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, won the Cable & Wire Harness Competition with 405 out of 500 points.
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics is returning 2-4 February 2027, at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. Register interest or book a stand today by visiting the exhibition’s website.
