Two-day Composites Forum Programme Announced at Advanced Engineering 2026

Representatives from across the composites supply chain, including major end users, research organisations and technology developers, are coming together in the Composites Forum at the Advanced Engineering Show 2026.

Representatives from across the composites supply chain, including major end users, research organisations and technology developers, are coming together in the Composites Forum at the Advanced Engineering Show 2026, taking place at the NEC Birmingham on 4 and 5 November.

As the headline industry partner for Advanced Engineering, Composites UK has curated a programme designed to look beyond individual technologies and address the bigger questions facing the UK composites industry, from where future markets are emerging and what customers will need, to how composites can be manufactured at scale and made more sustainable.

The programme brings together three perspectives: the customer, with major end users from sectors including aerospace, automotive and renewable energy; the composites supply chain, spanning materials, manufacturing and engineering; and the wider innovation ecosystem, including universities, research organisations and technology developers.

Each session will feature a series of short presentations followed by a panel discussion, providing opportunities for delegates to put questions directly to industry experts and encouraging discussion rather than simply a series of presentations.

Dr Sue Halliwell, Operations Manager at Composites UK, said: “We wanted to create a Composites Forum that reflects the conversations the composites industry needs to be having now and the questions our customers and future customers will be asking. It is not simply about showcasing individual technologies; it is about connecting market opportunity with customer requirements, manufacturing capability, innovation and sustainability.

“We are particularly pleased to bring together voices from across the value chain, giving visitors the opportunity to hear directly from end users as well as the companies, researchers and innovators developing the solutions.”