PRESS RELEASE – 12/11/2026 – 09:00
A standing-room-only Steel CEOs Roundtable, new opportunities across three co-located events and an event floor focused on practical solutions drew 6,581 attendees to the NEC Birmingham.
What does the future of British industry look like – and who will help build it?
At UK Metals Expo 2026, that question brought four steel leaders onto one stage, filled theatres to standing room only and continued in conversations across the event floor. Over 4 and 5 November, the event welcomed 6,581 attendees to the NEC Birmingham, a 23.8% increase year on year.
The timing mattered. With businesses navigating trade pressures, changing carbon requirements, energy costs and questions about domestic production, UK Metals Expo offered more than an update on the sector. It gave producers, suppliers, manufacturers and industry associations the chance to compare perspectives, find solutions and speak directly to the people they depend on.
Simon Farnfield, Event Director and Head of UK Manufacturing Cluster at Easyfairs commented: “UK Metals Expo 2026 was an extraordinary two days. There was a real energy across the event floor: packed conference theatres, suppliers meeting new customers, associations bringing their members together and conversations that I know will continue long after the event.”
“To see attendance grow by 23.8% to over 6,500 attendees is a fantastic result, but what excites me most is what it represents. At a time when our industry faces big questions about trade, energy, investment and the future of British manufacturing, people showed up ready to talk, listen and work together. And bringing the metals community alongside Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations opened even more possibilities.”
Four steel leaders. One stage. A packed theatre.
The Steel CEOs Roundtable: Reindustrialisation, Trade and National Growth was one of the event’s defining moments. Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Allan Bell, Interim CEO of British Steel; Carles Rovira, CEO of 7 Steel UK; and Gary Nutter, CEO of Sheffield Forgemasters, joined a discussion chaired by Alice Hancock, Global Shipping and Industry Correspondent at the Financial Times.
Bringing leaders from four major steel businesses together in front of a standing-room-only audience made the discussion valuable well beyond the steel sector. Questions about investment, trade, energy and domestic capability also shape the choices facing manufacturers, engineers, infrastructure businesses and everyone who relies on a resilient materials supply chain.
Those questions ran through the four-theatre conference programme. Free sessions examined the 2027 UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) deadline, EU CBAM requirements, tariffs and quotas, and carbon steel market trends. Others explored steel users’ sustainability strategies, carbon data, AI in metals, the future of metallurgical science and engineering, strategic supplier relationships and the role of industry in delivering the clean energy transition.
Visitors could move from a discussion about the pressures facing their sector to a conversation with someone who might help them respond. For Maureen and Eva from Cochran’s purchasing team, the event was an opportunity “to network with existing suppliers and keep up to date with what is happening in the wider industry. Our supply chain is vital to the smooth running of our manufacturing operation, and the purchasing department is an integral part of this.”
New ideas to discover – and people to meet
Across the event floor, producers, stockholders, processors, fabricators, recyclers and technology providers met the businesses that source and use their products and services. For visitors, it was a chance to explore options face-to-face. For exhibitors, it was an opportunity to turn introductions into relationships and potential business.
The Innovation Gallery put 14 exhibitor products and services in the spotlight. Visitors could scan displays to find out more about each innovation and the business behind it, while a Sustainability Trail highlighted companies and products with a sustainability focus, helping visitors discover approaches relevant to the challenges they face.
Industry collaboration also had its own home at the event. The Associations Lounge gave members of the UK Metals Council a place to meet, bringing representatives from different parts of the metals community into conversation beyond the conference theatres.
The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) used UK Metals Expo to reconnect with members, meet businesses across the aluminium value chain and launch its Reindustrialising UK Aluminium white paper.
“UK Metals Expo is always such an important event for us, particularly as so many of our members exhibit,” said Emily Foster, Marketing & Communications at ALFED. “Having the opportunity to bring our members and the wider metals and aluminium value chain together under one roof is incredibly valuable.
“This year was particularly exciting as we also launched our Reindustrialising UK Aluminium white paper to coincide with the show. It was a great opportunity to share our vision for the future of the UK aluminium industry and highlight the practical steps needed to strengthen domestic manufacturing, attract investment and make more of the capabilities we already have here in the UK.”
Exhibitors also reported the value of being in the room. Wieland described 2026 as its busiest UK Metals Expo to date, with a mix of existing customers, industry partners and new business opportunities.
“Wieland has once again had a fantastic experience exhibiting at the UK Metals Expo,” said Andy Olde. “The event was exceptionally well organised from start to finish, with both the setup and breakdown running seamlessly, making the entire experience stress-free for our team.”
A spokesperson for Cheshire Tool Company said: “UK Metals Expo was a fantastic event for Cheshire Tool Company. It provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our capabilities, reconnect with familiar faces and meet a wide range of new contacts, generating some really promising business leads.”
Where metals meet engineering and laboratory innovation
For the first time, UK Metals Expo was co-located with Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations. The significance was not simply that three events took place at the NEC at once. It was the opportunity to connect parts of the industrial ecosystem that increasingly need one another: the businesses developing and supplying materials, those engineering them into products, and those advancing the testing and laboratory capabilities that support innovation and quality.
The three co-located events recorded 16,128 unique attendees combined. Advanced Engineering welcomed 10,482 attendees, up 15.3% year on year, while Lab Innovations welcomed 5,036, up 3.4%.
For someone looking to solve a sourcing challenge or develop a new product, that broader reach made the visit especially worthwhile. A conversation that began with a metals supplier could lead to an engineering capability, a testing solution or a partnership outside their usual network – all in one trip.
The 23.8% growth in UK Metals Expo attendance shows the strength of demand for a place where the sector can meet in person at a consequential time. The event gave businesses room to ask difficult questions about the future of UK industry while finding contacts and ideas they can act on now.
UK Metals Expo returns to the NEC Birmingham on 3rd and 4th November 2027. For further information, visit www.ukmetalsexpo.com.
About UK Metals Expo
UK Metals Expo brings together the UK’s metals supply chain, connecting producers, stockholders, processors, fabricators, recyclers and technology providers with the manufacturers and engineers who rely on them. Supported by industry associations, it is a place to find suppliers, build relationships and tackle the issues shaping the sector’s future.
Across the event floor, visitors can explore new materials, products and services, while a free conference programme brings industry leaders together to discuss trade, sustainability, innovation, supply chains and British manufacturing. Co-located with Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations, UK Metals Expo also opens up connections across engineering, manufacturing and laboratory technology.
About Easyfairs
Easyfairs organises and hosts events, bringing communities together to visit the future.
We currently organise 200 face-to-face events in 14 countries (Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) and manage eight event venues in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden (Antwerp, Ghent, Mechelen-Brussels North, Namur, Gorinchem, Hardenberg, Malmö and Stockholm).
We are passionate about “easifying” the life of our customers and increasing the return on investment and return on time for professional communities through our all-in formulas, advanced technology and customer-centric approach. Our digital features and initiatives provide these communities with excellent opportunities to network effectively and do business throughout the year. We listen carefully to create compelling online formats that meet their constantly evolving needs.
The Easyfairs Group employs 700 highly committed talents, deploys the best marketing and technology tools, and develops brands with a strong appeal to our stakeholder communities.
In 2018 Easyfairs was named Belgium’s “Entrepreneur of the Year®” and a “Great Place to Work”. For the fourth year running, Deloitte conferred “Best Managed Company” status on Easyfairs in 2022.
The company is ranked 17th in the list of the world’s leading exhibition companies.
Visit the future with Easyfairs and find out more on www.easyfairs.com.
For further information, please contact:
Lucy Fullarton, Marketing Manager for UK Metals Expo at Easyfairs UK.
Email: Lucy.fullarton@easyfairs.com
For press enquiries, please contact:
Gemma Hardy
PR team at Fluency Group, responsible for UK Metals Expo press affairs.
Email: gemma.hardy@fluency-group.com>
