News October/November 2026 www.pwemag.co.uk Plant & Works Engineering | 07 economic growth. On innovation, the Chancellor commented: “The UK is the third in the world for innovation. Our record is extraordinary. I mean, pause and look around in the MTC. “Our UK formula works: local leaders working with world-class universities, investors, local businesses have created clusters of innovation across the UK… As a result, we are world leaders in frontier technologies – in quantum, in nuclear fusion, in AI, in advanced manufacturing. “But too often, ideas born here in Britain have to go elsewhere to find the capital they need to grow– meaning that the jobs, the benefits and the intellectual property go elsewhere… “Over the coming months I want to go further, working with more departments to earmark dedicated funds to Back British innovation.” SPS 2026 brings industrial AI and software defined automation into practice Industrial AI, software-defined production and advanced communications will be among the technologies taking centre stage when the international automation industry gathers in Nuremberg for SPS – Smart Production Solutions 2026. Around 1175 exhibitors from 40 countries are expected to showcase industrial automation technologies at SPS – Smart Production Solutions, taking place at the Nuremberg exhibition centre from 24–26 November 2026. Spread across 15 halls, the exhibition will cover the industrial automation spectrum, from sensors, drive technology and industrial communications to software and integrated automation solutions for the digital factory. Alongside new products, the event will focus on a question becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and machine builders: how emerging technologies can move beyond demonstration projects and deliver measurable benefits in industrial environments. Industrial AI, software-defined production architectures, IT/OT integration, 5G industrial communications and cybersecurity are consequently expected to feature prominently across the exhibition and its technical programme. SPS also continues to attract an international audience of end users and decision-makers. More than 500 visitors from the UK attended the 2025 event. “For many years, the SPS has been the place where technological developments are showcased before they become widespread throughout the industry,” said Sylke Schulz-Metzner, Vice President SPS at Mesago Messe Frankfurt. “The expo not only highlights trends but also allows visitors to experience them firsthand. It facilitates dialog among suppliers, users, and innovation partners.” Information on tickets, the exhibition programme, exhibitor directory and visitor services is available at: https://sps.mesago.com/nuernberg/en/expo.html Girls lead the way in engineering jobs of the future Girls are rewriting the rules of engineering, with new research revealing they are leading the charge into some of the profession’s fastest growing and most high-tech careers. Rather than following traditional engineering pathways, they are increasingly drawn to fields shaping the future, including biomedical engineering, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and healthcare technologies. A major study by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and careers platform Unifrog, The Future is Engineering: What Young People Really Think, has found that while boys still dominate engineering overall, the traditional gender divide has disappeared in biomedical engineering, suggesting girls are increasingly choosing engineering careers that combine technology, healthcare and innovation. The report also busts one of the biggest myths surrounding the profession. Contrary to perceptions that engineering struggles to attract young people, it has become one of the UK’s most popular subjects for students planning their future, ranking third out of 21 university subject areas researched. Overall, boys remain more likely to shortlist engineering degrees, at 14% compared with 4% of girls. However, students interested in
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=