Manufacturing and engineering are at the heart of the North East's economy. More than 10,000 SME manufacturing and design sites operate within 100 miles of Newcastle and, with inward investment from larger manufacturers such as Nissan in Sunderland and now Hitachi in County Durham, the region's heartbeat is stronger than ever.
Manufacturing & Engineering North East (MENE) will showcase the region's strengths and provide a platform for local and national manufacturers, engineers and their suppliers to meet, learn, solve problems and do business.
They all have the same pressures as manufacturers and engineers across the nation – too much to do in too little time. There is always the reality of having to keep ahead of the game as well as keeping abreast of technology, business practices, new opportunities – all this takes time.
The event will comprise four key elements covering the full range of design, production and manufacturing and targeted at the needs of its visitors:
? Keynote conferences from market-leading engineering and manufacturing businesses;
? Practical, hands-on workshops sessions;
? An exhibition providing access to market-leading suppliers;
? And, most importantly, it will be entirely FREE to attend for manufacturers and engineers within the region.
Manufacturing & Engineering North East conference and exhibition is an event fashioned on a national blueprint and tailored to the region's needs. Accepting that manufacturing managers and directors do not have hours to spare travelling from North to South, MENE is an event on the doorstep of those involved in manufacturing management in the North East.
And, far from being a scaled down version of a national event, more than 100 market leading suppliers will fill MENE's sold out exhibition hall (at the largest venue in the region) with conferences and workshops of direct – and in many cases unique – relevance to the region.
Ed Tranter, exhibition director and WM publisher, commented: "We are tremendously excited about this event. Since we first started talking to agencies and organisations in the region, it has been clear that engineering is a way of life here – people take massive pride in being part of the sector. That pride has translated into enthusiasm for this event from all its participants – exhibitors, visitors, conference presenters and the organising team. We can't wait to open our doors to this thriving community in July."
Register now at www.menortheast.co.uk
Conference highlights
Each keynote session provides case studies and insights from leading industry experts.
Programme highlights include:
? Automotive – Nissan has reinvigorated
the North East automotive sector and has enjoyed huge success. The North East Automotive Alliance explains the opportunities and growth potential for the region's manufacturers
? Rail Alliance – discover how your business can become part of the emerging supply chain and take advantage of the billions being invested in the North East rail sector
? EEF – the manufacturers' association – will provide a master class on how to attract and retain world-class employees
? AMRC and the Boeing Training Centre – the Advanced Manufacturing Research Catapult will outline the development of the employer-led training programme and explain its benefits to other manufacturers
? Pepsico – an inspiring case study in manufacturing excellence from the Peterlee factory
? Ebac – this Durham-based white goods manufacturer will provide an insight into bringing washing machine manufacture back to the UK for the first time in decades
? Innovate UK – hear how your company can gain funding and support as part of Innovate UK's remit to champion the development of British industrial innovation
? IP Protection – Newcastle IP company McDaniel & Co will provide engineers clear advice on how to protect their designs
? Renewable Energy – learn how to get your business designing and supplying to the renewable sector with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
? Creative design – IHC describes the key principles it uses to deliver award winning engineering designs
It's free to attend, but conference spaces are limited, so don't miss out! Visit www.menortheast.co.uk to reserve your place.
Five reasons why you need to be there
Refine your thinking with 13 high quality keynote conference sessions
Improve your knowledge at 20 practical workshops
Get hands-on with the latest technology from 100+ market-leading suppliers
Live demonstrations – powered up equipment in action
THE CONFERENCE, WORKSHOPS, EXHIBITION, CAR PARKING AND Wi-Fi ARE ALL FREE!
Practical hands-on workshops
There will be 20 workshop sessions over two days, each designed to drill deeper into certain technologies so that you'll receive real-world, practical advice and information about new services, functions and methodologies.
Workshop topics (with presenting companies) include:
? Manufacturing advice (EEF)
? Funding solutions to help businesses secure assets (Lombard)
? Industrial automation solutions (Fanuc)
? Engineering thermoplastic polymers (KD Feddersen)
? Bearings for automotive, aerospace and industrial uses (Schaeffler)
? 3D Printing software and services (Materialise)
? Improve machining processes with CNC Machine Tool Simulation (CGTech)
