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LONDON, May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK Metals Council is the proud media partner of UK Metals Expo (UKME) to be held on 14 and 15 September at the NEC, Birmingham.

The UK Metals Expo will be the first time that the entire industry is both represented and brought together fully under one roof from primary metal manufacture, supply chain management, processing metals, fabrication, surface coatings and recycling with industry experts, leading vendors and manufacturers such as Unilever, Royal Mint, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, Brompton Cycle, the Ministry of Defence, Ford Motor company, Landsec and Rolls-Royce.

UK Metals Expo also benefits from full endorsement and collaboration from the UK Metals Council and its members: Advanced Forming Research Centre, Aluminium Federation, Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, British Constructional Steelwork Association, British Metals Recycling Association, British Stainless Steel Association, Confederation British Metalforming, Cast Metals Federation, the Galvanizers Association, Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association, UK Steel, The Welding Institute and numerous other industry bodies.

Coming years will see the need to rise to some significant challenges such as skills shortages, recycling effectively, trading post Brexit and increasing competitiveness. With a new Governing Body co-chaired by Lord Rupert Redesdale and Chris McDonald, the influence of the event will be year-round with major initiatives, challenges and successes discussed and presented in detail in the show floor theatres.

The event includes a free to attend exhibition and conference providing a 2-day comprehensive programme packed with products and services, business networking, industry insights, design inspirations, best-practices and innovative solutions.

UKME aims to:

• Foster relationships and maximise opportunities between the design, engineering, manufacturing, and infrastructure supply chains:
  
  UKME hosts a series of talks that recognise the strategic role that metals play in the supply chain for UK infrastructure projects and for high value manufacturing sectors.
  
  Key sectors like Energy, Construction, Transport, Logistics, Food & Drink and Packaging will discuss Net Zero value chain challenges and how the metals supply chain will re-shore production capacity and processes here in the UK.
  
  Industry 4.0 tools and innovative processes will also be featured such as Metal powder, 3d printing, laser cutting, additives, coatings, AI and IoT.
  
  
• Advance education, share best practice and accelerate innovation throughout our community:
  
  While there is no single roadmap for success in innovation, there are lessons that can be borrowed, tailored and made to work for any business. The conference programme and the exhibition will offer clear opportunities for the Metals Industry to increase energy efficiency, productivity, global competitiveness, and support innovation.
  
  To achieve its wider ambitions for growth, the UK Metals Industry will need to attract some 2,300 graduates a year and 9,200 apprentices and technicians. It will also have to retain those it already has and retrain others to acquire the specific skills required for the future. This challenge will be addressed by representatives from Education and Skills Funding Agency, the Institute for Apprenticeships, Next Gen Makers, Yellow Tree and some of the supporting trade associations.
  
  The role of women leading male-dominated industries will be also addressed. Beyond the fundamental values of equality and equity, study after study has demonstrated the benefits of diversity on financial and operating performance. Jacqui Murray and Sue Black will share their experiences and views on how the sector has progressed, and what needs to be done next to ensure greater diversity in the workplace.

• Place the Metals Industry at the heart of any future circular economy:
  
  A circular economy will involve a shift in how we think about the use of minerals and metals from a production-disposal mentality towards on-going use and re-use. Existing examples of circularity in the metals sector, such as recycling, re-use or design for disassembly or repair will be presented by leading experts such as Mark Miodownik (The Big Repair project), Leighton John, Director of Operations at The Royal Mint; Vivek Sirohi, Vice President - Deodorants R&D at Unilever; Kunal Sinha, Global Head of Recycling at Glencore; Lee Adcock, Environment and Sustainability at British Steel and many more.

• Showcase the best in class across the whole supply chain:
  
  Duncan Clark, Brompton Bicycle's New Process Engineering Manager will present the journey of three years of research and development to bring its folding bike to life in titanium by forging new construction techniques, designing over 150 new components and building a dedicated factory in Rotherham in order to create the ultra-light Brompton T Line.

UK Metals Expo is over 100 exhibitors and 60 seminars spread across 4 theatres

1. Skills and Training
2. Net Zero, Resources and Recycling
3. R&D, Technology & Innovation
4. Supply Chain

Exhibiting companies include Aalco, Altair, AMEG, AMPCO Metal, BCAST Brunel, Berkeley Stainless Fittings, BM Steel, Corrosion Resistant Material, EDC Protection, Engmal Stainless, Eural Gnutti, Goldfreeze, Hempel Special Metals, Holme Dodsworth, Hydro Aluminium, Inductotherm, Joseph Ash, Midsteel Flanges and Fittings, Nero Pipeline Connections, Nironit Edelstahl, North West Polishing, Offshore Stainless Supplies, Phoenix County Metals, PipeXtra Stainless, Preminox, Pro Roll, Professional Polishing Services, Richard Austin, Righton Blackburns, Smiths Metal Centres, Smiths Metal Centres, Stainless Steel Services, Stainless Wire Supplies, Sturge Industries, Sverdrup Steel, Swiss Steel, TransFIRe, Voss Stainless, Wedge Group Galvanizing and many more.

Anyone with a career in the metals industry will want to attend, any organisations providing goods or services to this industry will want to be represented.

Notes to editor:

UK Metals Expo is an in-person annual conference and exhibition that takes place on 14 and 15 September at the NEC, Birmingham, UK.

UK Metals Expo is the only event that brings together the entire metals supply chain. From primary metal manufacture to supply chain management, processing metals, fabrication, surface coatings and recycling.

It is free to attend the exhibition and the conference.

More information can be found at www.ukmetalsexpo.com 

SOURCE UK Metals Expo