A record number of delegates came together in Manchester for the biggest Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) Conference to date, as the electrical and mechanical repair sector gathered for a day of technical insight, discussion, networking and debate around the future of the industry.
Held at the Concorde Conference Centre on 24 September, AEMT Conference 2026 attracted almost 300 delegates, made up of electromechanical repair specialists and end-user customers, alongside more than 30 exhibitors, with the day built around three themes: Collaborate, Innovate and Educate.
Opening the conference, AEMT Director General Thomas Marks issued a call to members to support the Association’s work around Right to Repair. He highlighted examples where otherwise repairable equipment had been pushed towards replacement because of restrictions including access to software, parts and diagnostic information.
Thomas also revealed that the AEMT has commissioned research to help quantify the wider value of repair, including its potential contribution to jobs, turnover and domestic growth, as well as reductions in emissions. Members were encouraged to contribute their own case studies to help build the evidence base.
That theme was picked up by opening keynote speaker Professor David Greenfield, a member of the UK Government’s Circular Economy Taskforce, who challenged delegates to recognise the role the sector already plays within the circular economy.
He highlighted how maintenance, repair, rewinding, refurbishment and remanufacturing extend equipment life and retain materials and embedded value within the economy. He also encouraged businesses to look beyond the immediate cost of a repair and consider how its wider value could be measured, including materials retained, equipment life extended, energy and carbon saved and downtime avoided.
Commenting on the event, Professor Greenfield said: “It was a great conference; the buzz and expertise in the room were brilliant. Thank you for the invite to open the conference of what is already a very Circular Sector!”
Time to talk
While the speaker programme provided plenty of material for discussion, some of the most valuable conversations took place away from the stage.
More than 30 exhibitors contributed to a busy exhibition area, giving delegates the opportunity to catch up with existing contacts, make new ones and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing their businesses.
Early feedback highlighted the value of bringing service companies, engineers, suppliers, students and other parts of the industry together, with exhibitors reporting detailed conversations and new contacts to follow up after the event.
Chris Powles of Innomotics, who exhibited and also took part in the conference’s apprenticeship panel, said: “It was an excellent day, great venue, insightful discussions and the opportunity to network with old and new faces within the industry.”
Ideas for the industry
The wider conference programme explored technical, commercial and workforce issues affecting the sector. Sessions included the move from reactive maintenance towards predictive and prescriptive strategies, advanced repair techniques and the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) within machine engineering.
Members were also updated on the proposed amalgamation between the AEMT and EASA Region 9. The session outlined the potential for a combined organisation to retain the AEMT’s existing UK activities and expertise while providing access to additional technical support, training, engineering data and international resources.
The proposal remains subject to a member vote and, if supported, further due diligence, legal, governance and implementation work before any amalgamation could take place.
Developing the next generation
Skills and attracting new people into the industry were another important part of the day.
An apprenticeship panel brought together senior industry representatives who began their own careers as apprentices to discuss where that route had taken them. Then the conversation moved to the employer’s perspective, including the practical and administrative barriers businesses can face when taking on an apprentice and how these might be overcome.
A group of local students was also brought to the conference by Unifrog, giving them an opportunity to meet people working within the sector and learn more about the career opportunities available. Conversations during the day even led to some students discussing potential summer internships with AEMT members.
The subject of skills also featured in Thomas Marks’ closing remarks, when he revealed that training had emerged as the single biggest request from the AEMT’s workforce survey. Thomas shared that in response, the Association is committing to deliver the practical element of its motor repair course next year.
Supporting people already working within the sector was also on the agenda through a Women in Engineering session led by AEMT Junior Vice President Kirstie Davies. Bringing
together women working across the electrical and mechanical trades, the session provided an opportunity to make new connections before considering findings relevant to women in the industry from the latest AEMT workforce survey. It also reviewed progress since the previous conference and explored what more could be done to maintain that momentum and support women across the sector.
The enthusiasm generated by the session has led to a planned follow-up mentoring and networking event at member Hayley 24/7’s offices on March 10 2027, reinforcing the group's commitment to maintaining momentum and creating lasting opportunities for women across the sector.
Asking the right questions
Bringing the formal conference programme to a close was Olympic champion Chris Boardman CBE, who drew on his experiences in elite sport, British Cycling and beyond to explore innovation and the development of high-performing teams.
His keynote highlighted the importance of questioning established assumptions and defining the problem before jumping to a solution. While drawing on his work with British Cycling, he also demonstrated how bringing together people with different areas of expertise can expose opportunities that those closest to a subject may overlook.
Plus, he shared how he learned that simply giving athletes evidence and telling them to change did not necessarily produce results. He explained how allowing them to participate in experimentation, understand the consequences of different choices and reach their own conclusions created much greater engagement.
With the business of the day concluded, delegates were able to continue those conversations in a more relaxed setting, enjoying food, drinks and live music beneath the belly of Concorde.
Commenting on the success of the event, Scott Haslam, General Manager at the AEMT, said: “I am delighted that we were able to deliver our best conference to date. Seeing repairers and rewinders collaborate with end-users is exactly what the AEMT exists to do.
“The biggest highlight for me, though, was the students that came along. Attracting young people is one of the greatest challenges our industry faces, so watching them get their first look at the sector and engaging with our members was hugely encouraging.
“Thank you to every sponsor, exhibitor, delegate, speaker, and to the AEMT team. Next year, we will build on everything that made this conference a success and take it even further in 2027.”
