INDUSTRY NEWS
Success at Southern Manufacturing 2026
The Southern Manufacturing and Electronics trade show returned to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre from 3 – 5 February 2026 with“ the bestattended of its 28 editions— a 5.6 % year-onyear increase in attendee numbers,” the show organiser, Easyfairs, told ISMR.
The event attracted 10,722 attendees and 571 exhibitors. Exhibitors offered solutions across CNC machining; electronic & PCB assembly; robotics & automation; electronic components & semiconductors; manufacturing software and more. ISMR was an international media partner at the event.
“ The opening day featured a pre-recorded address from Chris McDonald, UK Minister for Industry at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero( DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade( DBT). Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, outlined the manufacturing landscape, while speakers from Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and Airbus also shared insights over the three days amongst 50 + conference sessions,” added Easyfairs.
Two conference theatres included presentations covering topics such as sustainability; AI & automation; robotics; innovation and skills & development. The Manufacturing Conference( sponsored by Siemens) included issues like digital transformation and AI, and the skills gap. The Electronics & Semiconductors Conference, sponsored by Siemens and The Electronics Group, covered topics including sustainable electronics, embedded systems development and management solutions for SMBs in electronics.
The Global Electronics Association also held two skills competitions: the Hand Soldering Competition, judged to IPC-A-610 Class 3 standards, and the Cable & Wire Harness Competition, held for the first time in Europe and assessed to IPC / WHMA-A-620 requirements.
Southern Manufacturing and Electronics 2027 will take place from 2-24 February 2027 at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, UK. n
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PrometalBakli chooses low-carbon steel
Giannis and Nefeli Baklis of the PrometalBaklis service centre.
PrometalBakli service centre in Greece.
PrometalBakli S. A., a tinplate and stainlesssteel service centre in Greece with operations in Spain and Poland, has placed an order for 3,500 tonnes of Outokumpu Circle Green ® stainless steel.
“ It is the largest single commitment to certified low-carbon stainless steel in the market to date. Circle Green is certified for its significantly reduced carbon footprint, with CO₂ emissions below one tonne per tonne of stainless steel produced( CO₂e). The material combines high recycled content with carefully selected, low-emission alloying elements and uses 100 % low-carbon electricity in key production stages. Depending upon alloying requirements, Circle Green achieves up to 93 % lower carbon footprint than the global industry average— reducing typical stainlesssteel emissions to as low as 7 %— while maintaining the same corrosion resistance and performance as conventionally produced stainless steel,” Outokumpu told ISMR.
“ The order marks the beginning of a broader supply partnership. Circle Green stainless steel is expected to represent more than one-third of PrometalBakli’ s annual
stainless-steel purchases by 2026, with all future purchases from us to be exclusively Circle Green material,” added Outokumpu.
The commitment comes at a time when the adoption of certified low-carbon stainless steel remains limited across PrometalBakli’ s markets. The company is taking a proactive approach, anticipating demand particularly from export-oriented customers and manufacturers in the elevator and industrial equipment sectors.
“ At PrometalBakli, leadership means taking responsibility for the future that we are shaping,” said Nefeli Bakli and Giannis Baklis, representatives of the family business leadership.“ By committing to Circle Green Stainless Steel today, we are reducing our environmental footprint while integrating environmental matters in industrial conscience, setting an example for others to follow.” n
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www. outokumpu. com /
ISMR April 2026 | ismr. net | 15