• Australian maintenance engineering innovator MAINSTREAM picks Birmingham for UK conference debut
  • Birmingham chosen to host 300 international engineering delegates thanks to central location, world-class automotive ecosystem, and industrial heritage
  • Global leaders from Mars, NASA and Toyota among high-profile event speakers

Birmingham has won the bid to host the first MAINSTREAM UK summit, bringing together more than 300 global manufacturing leaders for a one-day conference of content, networking, and knowledge-sharing.
 
The city’s Millennium Point will host the event on 21 October 2025, featuring a high-profile speaker lineup that includes international experts from IDCON, Mars Inc., NASA, and Toyota, as well as UK industry leaders from companies such as Airbus, Bentley Motors, and BMW.
 
Founded in 1996, the MAINSTREAM community has been responsible for industry evolution across Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America during the past three decades.
 
Its UK conference debut will provide delegates across sectors, including robotics, AI, life sciences tech, automotive, aerospace, and industrial machinery, with the opportunity to attend case studies and sessions, workshops, and hands-on tutorials, covering topics such as decarbonisation, future workforce development, and digital transformation. There will also be an exhibition showcasing 25 partners.
 
Recent MAINSTREAM summits have taken place in the Australian cities of Perth and Melbourne. The first UK conference was secured by the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau – part of the West Midlands Growth Company – working with MAINSTREAM and host venue Millennium Point.

Winning the bid to host the MAINSTREAM conference in Birmingham is a further example of how the West Midlands is attracting internationally significant events that align with the region’s strengths.
 
The West Midlands has a large community of successful engineering companies. This summit will provide an ideal opportunity to welcome industry experts from all over the world to an ambitious region, which takes innovation, skills development and best practice seriously.
 
We look forward to showcasing the very best of the West Midlands to the MAINSTREAM community this October.

- Katie Trout, Director of Destination, Marketing & Insight and Deputy Chief Executive at the West Midlands Growth Company

Birmingham's strategic position at the heart of the UK's manufacturing sector made it the natural choice for launching MAINSTREAM UK.
 
The city provides unparalleled access to the engineering and production businesses that form the backbone of British industry, while its rich industrial legacy and commitment to innovation create the perfect environment for our expansion.

- Steve Morris, Chief Growth Officer, MAINSTREAM

 

The West Midlands remains a powerhouse of productivity. The region has the UK’s largest manufacturing cluster, generating £10.4 billion GVA per annum, and a 211,000-strong manufacturing workforce accounting for 10.6% of all local employment, more than the national average of 7.8%. It is at the centre of the UK’s largest automotive, rail and aerospace clusters, with global heavyweights such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Collins Aerospace among the companies calling the West Midlands home.

Hosting the first MAINSTREAM UK summit at Millennium Point is a fantastic opportunity, not just for us as a venue but for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. This region has always been a hub for making and engineering, and bringing 300 global leaders here puts that strength on the international stage.
 
At Millennium Point we are proud to play our part in showcasing the city, its talent and its future to the world.

- Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director, Millennium Point

 

For more information about the West Midlands’ business events offer for organisers and delegates, visit meetbirmingham.com.