The STC has confirmed it has already renewed its deal to host the VIP Lounge at the Advanced Engineering Show in 2025

STC CEO Pim van Baarsen was buzzing with enthusiasm for a return after successfully hosting the Lounge at 2024’s show, held at the end of October inside the NEC Birmingham.

It was the sixth AES in a row that the STC, in partnership with Silverstone Park and Jaltek, had stamped its name on the Lounge – the greatest draw for the show’s 15,000 visitors.

“It just gets better and better for our membership,” said Pim.

“We have a great relationship with the show organisers and will continue to build on the success for 2025.”

One highlight was a visit from engineering/manufacturing media celebrity and former motorcycle racer Guy Martin.

“We’d like to thank the show organisers for introducing Guy who visited the VIP Lounge and had conversations with a few of our members,” continued Pim.

“Guy always has several projects on the go which require problem-solving – something that our membership is all about.

“Some good contacts were made so who knows? Maybe there will be some opportunities with him in the future…”

Around 2,000 people visited and networked in the VIP Lounge during AES24’s two days. Eighteen members exhibited in the accompanying STC Innovation Zone and six were also given the opportunity, through the network, to speak and present in well-attended forums.

Amongst them was ‘lost-wax’ metal casting company Sylatech which manufactures parts for sectors such as aerospace, defence, medical devices, rail and space.

Commercial Director Gordon Gunn said: “Being at the core of the exhibition with the STC successfully delivered a plethora of leads for Sylatech.

“The opportunity to present in one of the show’s forums also enabled us to better engage with a wider audience and fully explain the depth of our technical capability.”

Steve King, Chief Engineer with Hofer Powertrain (a system supplier of efficient powertrain solutions) was another to speak. He explained: “Being part of the STC Innovation Zone was a fantastic experience. The event was well-attended, providing a valuable platform to connect with industries beyond automotive.

“It’s been a great opportunity to explore potential collaborations with complementary businesses and share some of the innovative solutions where Hofer Powertrain holds intellectual property (IP). Discussing how these innovations can be applied not just within automotive but in other sectors has opened up exciting possibilities for the future.”

IP specialist Lucidity also found great value from having a stand within the Innovation Zone.

Director Robert Sansby commented: “Having the VIP Lounge right next to us made it convenient if people wanted a more in-depth conversation.

“It’s a huge show with state-of-the-art engineering which is very pertinent to what we do in protecting brand new tech, latest innovations and inventions.

“Conversely, the experience enabled us to keep up with latest engineering which is incredibly useful in terms of the commercial and legal advice we provide.”

Article by Carl McKellar