Hosted by the The Gauge and Tool Makers Association (GTMA) and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), this one day event on June 13 is also worth hundreds of thousands of euros to the engineering and manufacturing industry, as it opens up more trade opportunities between Ireland and the UK.

A conduit for sharing ideas, skills and knowledge, the event continues to grow in popularity as more than 90 delegates plan to travel from the UK to Limerick this year.

More than 100 exhibition spaces were sold out just months after last year’s inaugural show, and Manufacturing Solutions 2018 is garnering huge support from industry and Government bodies from both sides of the Irish Sea.

The British Embassy in Ireland and the UK’s Department for International Trade have lent their support to this UK-Irish event.

British Ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett said, “This important event highlights the innovation, skills and talent to be found in manufacturing technology and engineering companies across Ireland and the UK.”

“It reaffirms the important trading relationship between our two countries and opportunities to collaborate and build strong partnerships to deliver new, innovative solutions to a global marketplace,” he said.

In total more than 100 of the most advanced providers of metrology, inspection, machine tools, work holding, cutting tools, and Cad/Cam/PLM manufacturing software and ancillary products and services will be exhibiting in LIT’s Moylish Campus on Wednesday June 13, 2018.

The €600,000 state-of-the-art, CNC Penta Machine acquired by Panalok Ltd, Ennis, will also be unveiled for the first time at the event.

The machine, which has previously been on show in Chicago, Milan and Birmingham, will be onsite at the Limerick conference demonstrating its ability to make a range of very small, high precision fasteners for the aerospace industry.

GTMA Chief Executive Officer, Julia Moore is looking forward to another successful Manufacturing Solutions.

Ms Moore said, “Last year the GTMA held its first ever conference outside the UK. We were confident that having the trade show and conference at LIT would prove successful, but Manufacturing Solutions 2017 far surpassed our expectations.

“With just over a week to go until this year’s conference and trade show we are heartened by the ever increasing support. We are delighted to have Shannon IASC, Cook Medical, Enterprise Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Limerick Chamber, Shannon Chamber and Mid West Regional Skills support this year’s event.”

“Our guest speakers Denzil J. Lawrence, Boeing Supplier Development; John Drysdale, Business Development Manager, Shannon Group; and Dr. Richard Keegan, Manager, Competitiveness Department, Enterprise Ireland will discuss the Mid West’s thriving aerospace and aviation industry. This growth industry employs over 1,600 people in more than 40 aerospace and aviation companies based in the region,” she said.

“We are also delighted to have David Murray, Senior Research Engineer, Cook Medical present a talk on the all important Industry 4.0, INCASE, and innovation partnership projects.”

Programme leader in Precision Engineering at LIT, Ciaran O’Loughlin said, “Manufacturing Solutions is an opportunity to highlight engineering excellence but also a way to foster closer relations and profitable opportunities in the wake of Brexit.”

“LIT plays a leading role in ensuring manufacturing in this region continues to have the ability to adapt and to change and remain at the cutting edge when it comes to technology. It is fitting therefore that our successful partnership with the GTMA allows us to bring leading technology suppliers together allowing for the transfer of technology from the specialist suppliers to the practical industrial landscape.”

Manufacturing Solutions 2018 will take place in LIT, Moylish Campus on Wednesday June 13, 2018 from 8.30am to 5pm.

For more information and to register for the showcase, please visit www.manufacturingsolutions.ie.