The Manufacturer Podcast recently examined how major technical exhibitions like Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 use combat robotics to inspire a new generation of engineers and technicians. Recorded on-site at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, the broadcast featured Engineer Ellis Ware, FightFest Director Ed Hodges, and Matt Ogden, Marketing Manager at Accu, discussing the mechanics of the “FightFest” robotics competition.
The episode showcased the technical hurdles and creative problem-solving required to build resilient machines, framing these challenges as a gateway for apprentices and students to enter the industrial workforce.
Smart Manufacturing Week 2026, held on June 3-4, serves as a high-density hub for the UK industrial sector, featuring over 380 exhibitors and 150 speakers. com/ngx-market-capitalization-increase-industrial-engineering-rally/”>industrial and engineering stocks rally across global markets. By bringing engineering to life through lived experience, the organisers aim to bridge the skills gap by helping early-career professionals envision their place within increasingly complex production environments.
Digital transformation and the human element in engineering
The technical discussions on the show floor often pivoted from hardware to the cultural shifts required for successful automation. Scott McManus, Project Manager for the UK Digital Factory at Leonardo Helicopters, highlighted that the most significant portion of any digital journey involves the people rather than the technology itself. During a session at The Manufacturer Studio Live, McManus argued that technology acts as an objective way to challenge existing workplace cultures and unlock latent value.
McManus provided several concrete takeaways for operations managers, advising teams to “fail fast” and distinguish between simple efficiency and true organisational value. At Leonardo, the team operates as “the business transforming the business,” where process owners design their own visualisation tools to avoid a “technology burden.” This focus on people-led change aligns with broader efforts to improve infrastructure reliability as firms transition to single-source digital architectures.
Technical theatres and reliable asset management
The 2026 Birmingham event featured eight content theatres focusing on granular engineering disciplines. In the Product Innovation & Design theatre, Gareth Knopp of Bucher Municipal addressed how artificial intelligence (AI) is currently redefining industrial equipment design. This was joined by practical sessions from PTC and Dassault Systèmes on digital twins, a technology that allows engineers to stress-test components in virtual environments before physical production begins.
Reliability engineering took centre stage at the Maintec show, where show partner Reliabilityweb introduced its Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) programme. Participants used the June 2-3 sessions to prepare for the CRL exam administered by the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP). This emphasis on maintaining plant health and asset longevity is a rising priority as the African IoT sector expands through the adoption of connected industrial hardware requiring robust maintenance protocols.
Strategic expansion into North American manufacturing
Looking beyond the UK market, Nineteen Group has scheduled the inaugural U.S. version of the event for April 19–22, 2027. The Smart Manufacturing Week U.S. exposition will take place at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, a location chosen for its proximity to 3.3 million manufacturing jobs within a 250-mile radius. The American event will feature the Manufacturing Digitalization Summit and The Reliability Conference to address the strategic adoption of digital technologies on a larger scale.
Mary Larkin, President of Nineteen Group Americas, stated that the move into the United States is a natural step in the company’s growth strategy. This expansion combines organic event launches with strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of Reliabilityweb. By mirroring the UK’s multi-theatre approach, the Detroit event aims to create a transatlantic platform for sharing data on factory transformation, asset management, and the evolving role of 5G and IIoT in global production.
