Advanced Engineering 2018 today published its ranking of the UK’s high value manufacturing hotspots and congratulated Bristol on achieving second place. However, it lost its top slot to Sheffield by just two points – 5111 vs 5109. Last year over 350 engineers from the city visited the show, with local engineering companies also exhibiting, including leading firms such as PJ Hare.
Alison Willis, Industrial Divisional Director at Easyfairs, organiser of the show, said: “High value manufacturing provides highly skilled jobs across the country, and congratulations to Bristol on securing second place – just pipped to the post by two points.
“As we celebrate our 10th year, we are looking forward to seeing hundreds of engineers from companies around Bristol, and indeed more widely from around the UK and globally, to see at first-hand the latest developments in the industry.”
Head of Sales, Brian Stiff of PJ Hare Bristol said: “Bristol is at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and this is demonstrated by being top and second of the advanced engineering League table in the past two years. We are really looking forward to showing our latest ‘’ Engineering Hare Press Developments’’ at the show and would encourage more Bristol companies and engineers to attend so that we can regain that number one spot next year.”
The full table is shown below
| Position | Area | Advanced Engineering Impact Score |
| 1 | Sheffield | 5111 |
| 2 | Bristol | 5109 |
| 3 | Milton Keynes | 4925 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 4862 |
| 5 | Nottingham | 4781 |
| 6 | London | 4733 |
| 7 | Leeds/Yorkshire | 4709 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 4652 |
| 9 | Derby | 4651 |
| 10 | Northampton | 4651 |
| 11 | Poole | 4513 |
| 12 | Coventry | 4506 |
| 13 | Leicester | 4455 |
| 14 | Birmingham | 4388 |
| 15 | Southampton | 4354 |
| 16 | Manchester | 4294 |
| 17 | Telford | 4243 |
| 18 | Swindon & Wiltshire | 4054 |
| 19 | Banbury | 4052 |
| 20 | Chesterfield | 4003 |
Advanced Engineering 2018, which takes place on the 31st of October and 1st of November at the NEC Birmingham, is the UK’s largest annual gathering of advanced engineering professionals. It connects the entire supply chain of the UK’s advanced engineering industry with R&D, design, test, production and procurement from large and small companies, through to top tier industry players in a two-day free to attend exhibition and high level conference.
The show brings together over 700 firms, as well as more than 15,000 engineers, procurement managers and senior decision makers from large and small companies – all looking to source, specify and invest in the most up-to-date products and explore the latest industry innovations.
Advanced Engineering 2018 includes six co-located zones under one roof: Aero Engineering, Composites Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Performance Metals Engineering, Connected Manufacturing and – new for 2018 – Nuclear Engineering.
Also new for this year, the Show is excited to be supporting UK contractors by introducing a dedicated area on its show floor – the UK Contract Manufacturing zone. The UK subcontractor is facing growing competition from overseas presence and there is now a need more than ever, for the UK market to have the best platform to showcase these businesses. In order to support British industry, Advanced Engineering 2018 has initiated this dedicated and focused area.