Innovative, inspirational and progressive, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham returns for its ninth year this autumn, with a ‘call to action’ for the sector to set its own agenda rather than wait for the government to respond.
The UK’s largest event for the built environment, registration is now live for UKCW Birmingham, which will run from October 3rd to 5th; it will run alongside two co-located shows, Grand Designs Live and Timber Expo, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023.
Nathan Garnett, UKCW show director, commented: “Construction is often criticised for being too disparate, lacking collaboration, not addressing its skills crisis, reverts to protecting the bottom line, is scared of innovation and too often ignores safety and environment.
“UKCW, as the UKs largest event bringing all parts of the industry together, is the place to learn from those shaping this rapidly changing industry. We’ll tackle key issues head on – including mental health, fire safety and the skills gap – if you work in any part of the industry, you cannot afford to not be at UKCW Birmingham.
“We had a hugely successful UKCW London in May, but in such a fast-paced industry, the Birmingham show will give visitors invaluable insight into the latest trends, legislation, innovation and tech, with many new exhibitors and demonstrations.”
The three-day construction show, welcoming over 25,000 visitors, will hero culture change in construction and will feature over 6,000 products and services. Over 150 CPD hours during sessions led by 400 thought leaders and keynote speakers including West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street will also be attainable at UKCW Birmingham.
Visitors will also be able to explore sections dedicated to Build, Infrastructure, Roadmap to Net Zero, Digital Construction and Offsite. The construction show, which has already allocated more than 80% of its available slots to the likes of 300 exhibitors including Biffa, Topcon, Containex, SDS, Hanson Plywood, Expedeon, Celsa Steel UK and HP Construction Services, is on track to be the most successful one yet.
Officially opened by architect and Channel 4 presenter George Clarke and championed by partners and sponsors such as HP, Northgate, Find It In Birmingham, CIOB, BMF and NFB, the show will feature sessions and seminars led by industry experts across six stages:
- UKCW Main Stage – used to take on construction industry topics, with a mixture of keynotes, panel debates and case studies from industry leaders.
- Sustainability Hub – the heart of Timber Expo. The hub programme will tackle the issues, layout strategies and case studies to help the sector reach its net zero targets.
- Infrastructure Hub – From digitalisation to improving quality and sustainability, this hub will deliver a three-day programme for those working on infrastructure projects of case studies, debates, networking opportunities, and keynote speeches on crucial issues.
- Digital Construction Hub – the centre piece of innovation at UKCW. This hub will deliver a series of presentations and panel discussions including topics such as Information Management using BIM.
- CPD Hub – a mix of industry relevant CPDs delivered by industry experts, associationpartners, government departments and exhibitors.
- Culture Change Hub – a focus on improving inclusivity within the built environment,wellbeing and mental health and professional development.
Other key features include:
- Future Lab – featuring ground-breaking and innovative products including the Exoskeletonfrom exhibitor German Bionic; a wearable device that can make users feel less tired and reduce the risk of strain injuries.
- Robotics Theatre sponsored by HP, will showcase all types of construction robotic innovation
- COBOD 3D concrete printer will be live printing a house
- UKCW Role Model Awards – celebrating the unsung heroes of construction, the award ceremony will be taking place on the main stage on 5th October.
- Timber Expo – celebrating 10 years at UKCW this year, the UK’s largest display event for woodand timber presents the future of the sector – from sawmills, timber cladding and mouldingsto doors, windows and flooring products.
- Seminar programme – details of the comprehensive seminar programme and CPD opportunities will be revealed in July, covering latest building regulations, the Building Safety Act and its implications, and advice on retrofit.
