This year’s STC Innovation Zone at the Advanced Engineering Show (AES) has expanded by some 30% in size to include 18 of the organisations’ business members.

Each company will be able to take advantage of the prime exhibition space that the Innovation Zone creates during the two-day show on 1-2 November at NEC Birmingham.

The Innovation Zone has been arranged for them by the STC as part of its partnership with AES where it will also host the show’s popular VIP Lounge.

The 18 members which will exhibit in the Innovation Zone include: Bamd, Beyondmath, Coplan, Cosworth, Digital Manufacturing Centre, EOS, Hernshead, Hexagon, HV Wooding, Jaltek, Mackart, Partner Electronics, RML, Silverstone Composites, Silverstone Park, ST Engineering Antycip, Symetri and Universal Science.

ST Engineering Antycip (pictured) is one of Europe’s leading providers of virtual reality solutions, visual displays, simulation tools and engineering services, with contracts in Formula 1, aerospace and the military.

Its Marketing Manager Anais Tarbi said: “We are delighted to be participating at AES 2023 and are grateful to the STC for hosting the VIP Lounge and the Innovation Zone. This event presents us with a remarkable opportunity to showcase our cutting-edge solutions and expertise in virtual reality, simulation and visual displays.

“We will embrace this platform to engage with fellow visionaries, exchange knowledge and contribute to the advancement of the engineering industry.

Anais added: “We believe our technology can play a significant role in helping engineers to improve their designs, test their products and train their staff and we are excited to meet with potential customers and partners at the show to discuss how our solutions can help them to achieve their goals.”

Universal Science specialises in the protection of electronic materials and also custom-makes lightweight thermal management products such as RFI (radio frequency interference) shielding and environmental gaskets for a multitude of applications, from lap top computers to jet fighters.

James Stratford, MD of the global business’s UK arm in Milton Keynes, believes the Innovation Zone can help Universal Science showcase in particular its cell carriers for lithium batteries which have been used extensively in the FIA’s Formula E World Championship for electric racing cars.

“The STC is a very worthwhile organisation to be a part of,” said James. “We want to add value to various products that can be recycled or be green and we are confident other members would be interested in what we’re doing from both a technical point of view.

“Expanding on that, there’s the networking the STC offers as well and the Innovation Zone at AES is an ideal way for us to reach the wider market, in particular in pushing our products on the EV side of things.”

Jack Groom, Business Development Manager at Jaltek Systems which will be a headline sponsor of the VIP Lounge, said: “The STC’s Innovation Zone gives us a great opportunity to promote our work in electronic design and manufacturing – bear in mind that AES attracts key decision makers from across the tech business spectrum.

“It’s also a platform for us to show how we are supporting innovative start-ups with their ground-breaking technologies, as well as numerous well-established companies with their electronic outsourcing requirements.

“We’re looking forward to being part of the Innovation Zone – one of the show’s hot spots – and meeting with customers, suppliers and even potential employees.”

By Carl McKellar