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Railtex: putting rail in the spotlight

Kirsten Whitehouse, exhibition manager for Mack Brooks Exhibitions, explains how Railtex is set to welcome an international audience as visitor registration officially opens.

Professionals from across the rail industry are being urged to secure their place at Railtex 2019, the 14^th international exhibition of railway equipment, systems and services, as visitor registration officially opens. Visitors will now be able to confirm their attendance online for the UK’s leading rail industry expo, which will take place between 14-16 May at Birmingham’s NEC.

More than 330 organisations have already confirmed their participation at Railtex, with a mix of UK and international suppliers appearing under one roof, spanning the full range of rail infrastructure and rolling stock sectors.

The show promises to bring an international flavour to the Midlands, with visitors from more than 50 countries set to be in attendance. Confirmed exhibitors include Austrian rail milling and sawing specialist Linsinger, French rolling stock maintenance firm Masteris, German electronic systems solutions provider Polyrack Tech Group, Swiss track and turnout technology supplier Schwihag, and Taiwanese telecommunications and networks provider CTC Union, amongst many others from countries across the globe. 

New names making NEC debut

Railtex 2019 will also host a large number of new exhibitors presenting their offerings for the first time. Debut exhibitors include Forbo Flooring Systems, a commercial and rail flooring specialist; Bespoke Composite Panels & Corex Honeycomb (part of Enocam Ltd), manufacturers of aluminium honeycomb core material; and Rail Safety Systems, suppliers of safe maintenance equipment.

These new exhibitors will join many high-profile returning exhibitors, including A-Plant Rail, British Steel, CRRC, HS2, Hitachi, The IET, Knorr-Bremse, Mechan, the Permanent Way Institution, PULSAR, Rail Baltica, Scott Parnell, Siemens, Unipart Rail, and many more for a jam-packed three days which promise to generate many essential leads and contacts for attendees.

Comprehensive supporting programme with burning issues in the spotlight

Attending Railtex 2019 also gives visitors access to a range of industry keynote speeches, project updates, and technical seminars that are accredited by the Continuing Professional Development Certification Service, meaning they can be used by attendees and their professional bodies towards annual CPD.

The Digital Railway, a project aimed at meeting the demands of ever-growing passenger numbers on a squeezed and ageing rail network, will be one of the focus areas of a new conference that merges project management with the supply chain to allow a collaborative review of current industry opportunities and challenges.

The RIA Future Focus Conference at Railtex will also look at sustainability and high speed rail, and will explore topics such as thought leadership, insight, sense testing, qualitative engagement, and cross-fertilisation to ensure the programmes’ goals are met. With keynote speakers set to be announced soon, the RIA Future Focus Conference will help establish what a future railway can look like and achieve – with the support of the broad scope of industry sectors represented.

With visitor registration officially open, there is a growing excitement around the industry for what is anticipated to be one of the busiest shows in recent years.

The perfect platform

Railtex provides the perfect platform for rail suppliers and professionals to meet, build contacts, and do meaningful business within a friendly and engaging environment, ideally located in the heart of the UK.

Alongside the main exhibition, a varied and informative supporting programme of events will take place, with some huge industry names speaking on the biggest issues surrounding our network. Details of these will be announced on the show website in the near future.

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