EVENT PREVIEW
Subcon sectors
■ Machining and precision engineering
■ Fabrication and metal processing
■ Plastics and composites
■ Casting and forging
■ Electronics and electrical
■ Additive manufacturing
■ Assembly and finishing
■ Components and parts.
Venue and opening times
3 June 2026: 09.30-17.00( networking drinks party from 16:30 onwards)
4 June 2026: 09.30-16.30
NEC, Hall 3A, North Avenue, Birmingham, B40 1NT, UK
■ Circular Economy and Remanufacturing: Exploring how circular manufacturing and lifecycle design can cut waste, boost profitability and meet sustainability goals.
■ Supply Chain Resilience and Sourcing Diversification: Uncovering strategies for nearshoring, risk mapping and building robust multi-source networks.
■ Workforce of the Future and Skills Transformation: Tackling the skills gap through digital training, automation fluency and new approaches to workforce development.
■ Sustainability in Materials and Processes: Showcasing innovations in low-carbon materials, energy-efficient production and clean manufacturing.
■ Cybersecurity and Physical Security in Manufacturing: Addressing emerging digital threats and practical steps for securing connected factories.
■ New Business Models: Manufacturingas-a-Service( MaaS)— demonstrating how digital platforms and data-driven models are redefining production economics.
■ Manufacturing in a Geopolitical and Trade Context: Analysing how global trends and policy shifts affect sourcing, exports and industrial strategy.
■ Smarter Supply Chain: Digital Logistics, Traceability & Transparency: Revealing how real-time data, blockchain and logistics analytics are enabling ethical, efficient operations.
■ Human-Robot Collaboration and Cobotics: Exploring how cobots are reshaping shop-floor productivity and workforce engagement.
■ Digital Validation and Virtual Commissioning: Showing how digital twins and AR / VR tools are transforming design, testing and commissioning.
Subcon has also introduced‘ The Skills Sprint’, replacing traditional long-form workshops with a high-intensity conference stream designed for the time-poor professional.
“ Every session in the‘ Sprint’ is strictly curated to deliver a functional‘ blueprint’ in 20-45 minutes. From rapid-fire lead generation tactics for SMEs to live cybersecurity audits and“ Agentic AI” implementation guides, this isn’ t about sitting in a classroom. It’ s about gaining a competitive edge and getting back to the show floor with a toolkit that you can use on Monday morning,” outlined Mark Allen Group.
Across the rest of the conference, sessions will focus on how manufacturers can grow competitively and sustainably in a changing global landscape. Highlights include:
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