EMCON gears up for engineering innovation

An engineering trade show is returning to Sunderland this autumn.

EMCON, the North East’s flagship engineering and manufacturing event, takes place on September 18 at Sunderland Live, in Houghton-le-Spring. 

The event will host 100 exhibitors and is expected to attract around 1000 delegates from across the UK.

And the Engineering and Manufacturing Network (EMN), who are organising the event, have confirmed a conference programme highlighting operational excellence, innovation and supply chain resilience.

The Maintenance Excellence stream, delivered in partnership with the University of Sunderland’s North East Maintenance Forum and chaired by Derek Dixon, head of school of computer science and engineering at Sunderland University, will explores the role of MRO strategy in building operational resilience and sustainability. 

Presentations include Aidan Roche, of SUEZ UK, who will present The Bolt That Broke the Beast; Craig Fenwick, of Geoquip-Marine, with Beneath the Surface: A Maintenance Odyssey from Offshore Challenges to Strategic Clarity; and Dave Watson and Simon Hutchinson, of Northumbrian Water Group, who will explore digital transformation in A Quiet Revolution.

Meanwhile, the Smart, Secure & Future-Ready stream highlights technologies reshaping manufacturing, from AI-driven production to cyber-resilient supply chains. 

Speakers include James Hall, chief executive of Therion, with What if Your Factory Could Think? as well as Jason Brown, of Sophus & CMYK Business Technology, with Are You the Weakest Link?

Finally, in the Securing Tomorrow stream, speakers will focus on securing critical materials and aligning with defence sector needs, as global pressures mount.

RED Scientific’s Jason Barnes, Paul Clark and Marc Brule-Walker are set to present Reclaim, Retain, Reimagine, while Dr Neil Witten, of Innovate UK, and Anna Taylor, of DASA, will deliver Securing the Future: Innovation Pathways into Security Supply Chains.

The event, supported by headline sponsor MEC Machine Tools, will also feature ‘Meet The Buyer’ sessions with major industry players and exhibitors covering fabrication, robotics, software and training.

Ailsa Anderson, director of development at EMN, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting such a wide range of expert speakers in EMCON’s 18th year, who will be addressing major challenges – and pointing the way forward for engineering and manufacturing companies. 

“EMCON is a catalyst for industrial transformation, where attendees have access to cutting-edge insights and practical frameworks, alongside networking opportunities – and the chance to tap into our community’s ‘hive mind’.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the North’s engineering and manufacturing sector come together at EMCON for a day that will ignite new partnerships, ideas and business growth.”

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