Visitor numbers soar by 16% at Subcon 2019
11th Jun 2019 | In News | By Mike Richardson
Subcon 2019, the UK's premier subcontract manufacturing supply chain show, which took place at the NEC last week, has achieved a significant uplift in visitor numbers.
Over 4,100 manufacturing and engineering professionals attended this year’s event, marking a 16% increase year on year and is on par with the show’s record attendance achieved in 2017.
During this 43rd edition of the Show, visitors had a chance to meet, speak with and gain invaluable insight from more than 250 exhibitors and over 100 companies have already rebooked their stands for 2020.
A spokesperson from exhibitor Washington Metal Works said: “This was our first time at Subcon and only the second time we’ve ever exhibited, and it’s been really good. It’s really important for us to be able to speak to a lot of different industry sectors because of how diverse our customers are, and we’ve made some great connections that could translate into potential clients. We’ll definitely be back next year.”
Fellow exhibitor, Bowman added: “Subcon was very good this year; the people who came to see us were very focused and of a high quality, so it’s been a successful show for us and we’ve already signed for next year, when we’ll have even more new things to show visitors.”
The Engineer Conference provided over 30, high-powered free educational sessions, covering a wide range of topics including AI, robotics, nuclear fusion, hybrid aircraft and digitalisation, and with speakers including Ian Warhurst, the Bloodhound Landspeed Record Project CEO, Siemens Digital Industries, Make UK and MTC.
New features at Subcon 2019:
- Subcon Launchpad and Awards: a new start-up incubator designed to propel six embryonic businesses into the limelight. The winner of the very first Launchpad Award – winning a full sized-stand at next year’s event – is Elements Technology.
- Women’s Engineering Society: Subcon helped to celebrate the WES centenary with conference sessions dedicated to women in engineering. CEO Elizabeth Donnelly spoke at the event and was also interviewed live by BBC Radio on the final morning of the event about the association’s target for 30% of engineers to be women.
Under new ownership at Mark Allen Group, Subcon will return alongside The Engineer Expo to the NEC Birmingham in 2020 from 9-11 June.
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