Now in its 15th year, EMCON is North East England’s manufacturing and engineering showcase, particularly for SMEs. And on Thursday 14 September 2023, it will be taking place in its new home of Rainton Arena, Houghton-le-Spring.
So, what makes EMCON so special? And why should you attend or exhibit at the event?
- Engineering and manufacturing is the focus
Visit EMCON and you’ll connect with businesses from North East England’s engineering and manufacturing landscape – from ambitious start-ups to multinationals who have major operations in the area, from family firms with deep regional roots to international organisations who are attracted to the opportunities offered by the North East.
Eighty per cent of our exhibitors are in the engineering and manufacturing field, which makes EMCON a real hub for the sector.
- It could be the start of something very exciting!
EMCON opens up a wealth of opportunities for businesses – from sourcing new component suppliers, R&D support or product design expertise, to forging relationships that could lead to major contract wins, or game-changing partnerships.
Operational areas management solution provider SMS Tech, for example, was born out of EMCON 2021. You can read more about the company’s journey and how crucial EMCON was to it, here.
- You’ll be part of a vibrant community
Visit EMCON and you’ll find yourself chatting to maintenance engineers, managing directors, HR managers, operations directors, product managers, R&D specialists and more. They’re a friendly bunch – and more than 600 people attended last year’s show! This year we’re aiming for over 1000 from within and outside the North East.
EMN is for the whole engineering and manufacturing community – we support all the people who help organisation’s function and succeed. And EMCON, our showcase event, reflects that.
- It’s a space to share
EMCON is a great place to network, make new contacts, swap business cards and of course, build LinkedIn connections!
But there’s much more to it than that.
At EMN, we create an environment where people working in engineering and manufacturing businesses can share experiences, talk about their challenges, exchange ideas and help each other. At EMCON, those conversations flow… and the event provides the perfect opportunity to access impartial, peer to peer advice.
- You’ll be seen and heard
Attending or exhibiting at EMCON gives you a platform for building brand recognition and raising your profile in the engineering and manufacturing sector – and you can you boost your presence further by connecting with the EMN community on LinkedIn.
If you’d like to post on social media about EMCON, use the hashtag #EMCON2023 and be sure to follow the EMN company LinkedIn page and the EMCON LinkedIn showcase page, where you’ll see plenty of posts in the run up to, during and after EMCON!
- Decision makers and influencers will be there…
Engineering and manufacturing leaders attend EMCON. People who influence budgets, recommend suppliers and purchase products and services will be at Rainton Arena. And EMCON 2023 is your chance to talk to them.
What’s more, there will be a ticketed Meet The Buyer opportunity within EMCON, which will give exhibitors and delegates the opportunity to meet approximately ten buyers from businesses and organisations looking to source local suppliers and innovative solutions for projects. More information on this will be available soon!
- There’s so much to see (for free)…
Thanks to EMCON’s new venue of Rainton Arena, we’ve been able to extend our exhibition space this year, and we’re expecting more than 100 exhibitors on September 14, showcasing innovative tech, high end components, groundbreaking processes and more.
Plus, EMCON will be hosting four special zones this year…
The EMCON Skills Zone featuring exhibitors who are looking to support recruitment, retention and upskilling of existing workforces. It’s an opportunity for businesses to find out more about the skills support available, and how they can take advantage of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, shopfloor training and skills analysis.
EMCON’s Energy Zone featuring exhibitors that provide energy saving solutions and the Digital Zone will host companies that have benefitted from the MADE Smarter programme and grant scheme: come and talk to companies that are on the automation pathway and learn about the impact, benefits and support available for businesses when they automate, and digitize systems and processes.
Plus, the Healthcare Zone will feature exhibitors from the healthcare sector who will be highlighting opportunities for businesses to meet the sector’s challenges.
Delegate places are free, you just need to register here.
There is more information on the EMCON Zones, and how you can get involved, here.
- You’re bound to learn something new!
Pioneering organisations and ingenious individuals will be making their way to EMCON when it comes around on September 14 – the engineering and manufacturing community is full of them!
There will be sector specialists, industry insiders and technical experts at Rainton Arena, whose knowledge you can tap into.
Find out what’s happening in the sector, learn about the latest trends and innovations and leave EMCON inspired… and full of new ideas.
- It’s very easy to get to…
EMCON is taking place right in the heart of North East England, close to the A690, A1 and A19. That means that you can drive to EMCON easily from Sunderland (20 minutes), Washington (15 minutes), Newcastle (30 minutes), Middlesbrough (35 minutes), Hartlepool (30 minutes) and Newton Aycliffe (30 minutes).
Rainton Arena’s location near those major road links means that EMCON’s catchment extends from North Yorkshire to the borders, and we’ve welcomed companies from across the UK to previous editions of the event.
- The parking’s a breeze…
EMCON is really accessible!
Now in its new home of Rainton Arena, Houghton-le-Spring, EMCON has plenty of on-site free parking, meaning you can easily call in on a lunchbreak (though we hope you’ll stay all day!).
What are you waiting for? To register for a free delegate place at EMCON, click here.
To exhibit to the engineering and manufacturing community at EMCON, and find out about the packages available, click here.