'Resounding success' for Engineering Design Show

Having been first officially announced in October 2011, on the 10th of October 2012, the Engineering Design Show finally opened its doors. And, over the two days it ran, the show welcomed some 1,600 design engineers, who came to access more than 80 market leading companies and learn about the latest technologies, techniques and strategies employed by experts at the forefront of their field. Given that the original target of the Show was to attract 1,000 design decision makers, it is no exaggeration to describe this attendance as a great success. Exhibitors on the first day reported being too busy even to take lunch as visitors thronged the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Alongside the exhibition itself, the Conference and Workshop programme also attracted great crowds. This was perhaps hardly surprising, since the Conference programme included high-profile representatives of companies including BAE Systems, AgustaWestland, McLaren and Jaguar Land Rover. Meanwhile, the two workshop theatres saw impressive levels of attendance, with some of the sessions being restricted to standing room only. Particular highlights of the workshop programme included Man and Machine's presentation entitled 'Next-generation digital prototyping and simulation', which looked at Autodesk 360 and the benefits of simulation. Also packed to the rafters was the Workshop session hosted by Ian Harris, partner, chartered and European Patent Attorney with D Young & Co LLP. Here, the crowd was drawn by a practical explanation of the issues surrounding the sometimes daunting issue of intellectual property. The thorny issue of intellectual property also arose in the Conference, where it was the subject of a panel discussion between Nigel Robinson of D Young & Co LLP, Jon Calvert or ClearView IP and James Baker, managing director of BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre, chaired by Eureka's editor Paul Fanning. Subjects ranged from the issues of costs of IP protection, to the levels of understanding of the subject and, of course, the question of protecting IP in emerging markets such as China. Other highpoints of the Conference programme included an insight into the motorsport industry's importance to UK engineering by the Motorsport Industry Association's chief executive Chris Aylett. Motorsport also featured heavily in Tim Strafford of McLaren's presentation on designing a Formula One control system. Ed Tranter, Findlay Media's Executive Director said: "When we asked readers of Eureka and New Electronics magazines whether they would attend a design show targeted specifically at their requirements, we got an overwhelming 'yes'. That enthusiastic response was matched by suppliers to the engineering design market and I'm delighted to announce the resounding success of the 2012 Engineering Design Show – which exceeded all our expectations. The success of this year has been immense and we believe next year can be even better." The enthusiasm with which this inaugural event has been received by exhibitors and potential visitors has convinced organiser Findlay Media that an event designed for design engineers is not only an idea whose time has come, but one that merits further expansion. With this in mind, next year's event will triple in size. Occupying two halls here at the Ricoh Arena – a floorspace of 6,000m2 – and expected to attract around 250 exhibitors, will take place on the 2nd and 3rd October 2013. The show will of course remain true to the founding principle of catering specifically for design engineers, but will include a number of new elements. The most significant of these will be the launch of the Electronics Design Show, which will co-locate with the Engineering Design Show, occupying the whole of Hall 2 next year. Created by Findlay Media using its market-leading brand New Electronics, the Electronics Design Show will provide exhibitors and visitors alike with a unique opportunity to take part in an event aimed exclusively at electronic design engineers and will attract key decision makers from all areas of electronics design over the two days. As with the Engineering Design Show, the Electronics Design Show will offer best practice learning and practical design ideas for visitors through conference and workshop sessions. The conference will provide 16 sessions over the two days, while the workshop programme will offer 20 practical and technical sessions. Prior to launching the Electronics Design Show, New Electronics conducted extensive interviews with design engineers, using key job functions across electronic design to discuss their requirements for an exhibition, what it would need to include and their current level of event attendance. This revealed that, of the New Electronics audience, 68% welcomed the launch of the Electronics Design Show. As if to further emphasise this resonance within the industry, the Electronics Design Show has already received strong institutional and industry support, making it a must-attend event for anyone trying to reach electronics design engineers. Engineering Materials Live! Further leveraging the strength in depth of Findlay Media's editorial offering, the Engineering Design Show 2013 will also see a new section specifically devoted to the engineering materials sector. The decision to incorporate this element of the show is intended to capitalise on this year's successful launch of Engineering Materials, the latest member of Findlay Media's stable of design engineering titles. Launched to meet the increasing demand for information on the latest materials and their applications, Engineering Materials has been extremely well received throughout the industry. Reflecting this warm reception, incorporating Engineering Materials Live! into the Engineering Design Show is the natural and logical next step. Ultimately, co-location with the Electronics Design Show and the incorporation of Engineering Materials Live! represent not a departure from, but a continuation of the Engineering Design Show's most fundamental aim – to offer design engineers a comprehensive event focusing on their needs and their needs alone. These new elements can only complement this year's winning formula. This year was great. We believe next year can be even better. We look forward to seeing you there. To find out more about the Engineering Design Show 2013 or to book your place for next year, call Luke Webster on 01322 221144 or visit www.engineeringdesignshow.co.uk