Programme
Find out what is happening so you can plan your visit
The Welding, Joining and Manufacturing Conference and Exhibition (#WeldJoinExpo26) is a flagship event for welding, joining and allied technologies in the UK. Created by TWI / The Welding Institute. This event took place at TWI Cambridge on 7 July, 2026.
TWI / The Welding Institute has over 100 years of industry experience and heritage. We have been responsible for innovations and technical breakthroughs in welding, joining and manufacturing technologies in our history, such as the invention of friction stir welding and the first-ever autonomous weld performed in space. Our highly respected and internationally renowned experts have also been instrumental in the creation of industry-wide codes and standards, giving us a unique perspective on industry. Because we work across all industry sectors, from aerospace to power, we are able to take solutions from one area and apply them to another for the benefit of our Industrial Members. As well as providing consultancy and support services to industry, TWI / The Welding Institute offers Professional Membership for individuals, providing career advice, guidance and more. In addition, TWI Training delivers industry-recognised training for both individuals and organisation, and TWI Certification delivers third-party certification, providing assurance to industry of the competence and compliance of people, products and procedures, and acting as a comprehensive source of client confidence and industry compliance on a worldwide scale.
About WeldJoinExpo26
As the premier event for welding, joining and allied technologies in the UK, WeldJoinExpo26 brought together experts and professionals from across industry for keynote speeches, presentations, and industry-specific workshops, including valued input from bodies including Make UK and Make UK Defence, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Council, JCB, and the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).
You can see highlights from the day here.
We lined up a number of high-level and expert speakers, both for the 'Skills Zone' and for our dedicated ‘Future Technologies’ area, which featured a programme of talks and presentations for WeldJoinExpo26 attendees.
Speakers included representatives from Make UK, IOM3, the Nuclear Industry Association, BAE Systems, Siemens, the European Space Agency, Make UK Defence, Kuka Systems UK, the Excellence Achievement and Learning Awards, Seabery, the National Skills Academy for Nuclear, Sheffield Forgemasters, Leonardo Aerospace, and the UK Department of Business.
Workshops and Seminars
The day included industry-specific workshops and seminars covering aerospace, defence, nuclear, oil and gas, and space. These provided both pre-booked, sector specific meetings for Industrial Members, as well as open access sessions covering industries and capabilities. Alongside these industry-specific areas, there was an industry-wide, NDT area including presentations and live demonstrations. In addition, WeldJoinExpo featured dedicated areas providing information about the TWI Library, TWI Certification, and the benefits of Professional Membership with The Welding Institute.
TWI/JCB Training and Skills Zone
TWI / The Welding Institute partnered with Industrial Member, JCB, for a day of skills seminars, speeches, presentations, and more. In addition, there was ample opportunity to network with experts in training, certification, and engineering career development.
We understand that the skills gap is a real concern for industry, so we were delighted to be able to invite 50+ JCB welding and inspection apprentices to WeldJoinExpo, so we could help inspire the next generation too.
You can see highlights from the Training and Skills Zone at WeldJoinExpo26, here.
Future Technology Rooms
Attendees were invited to explore the future of innovation in our Future Technology Rooms, where they were able to hear from speakers including representatives from IOM3, Make UK, and top industry partners, as well as finding out how high-quality research is driving transformation and delivering real benefits for society and the economy, including a deep dive into some of TWI’s greatest innovations, such as long-range ultrasonic inspection and engineering critical assessment, which have already driven real change around the world.
We also spoke about how the TWI Technology Roadmap had been created to build upon our past successes, pioneering the next wave of advancements that will shape the future of industry. In addition, we provided details on how we have collaborated with bodies like Brunel University, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Huddersfield to create Innovation Centres to deliver new research, technical capabilities and opportunities for collaboration across sectors like digitalisation, net zero, and sustainability.
Exhibition
WeldJoinExpo26 included an exhibition from TWI and Make UK Members, offering opportunities to network and discover the services, support, and innovations available through our network.
Engineering Hall
WeldJoinExpo attendees were able to see some of the key welding, joining, coating and material testing technologies available at TWI in our main engineering hall in the Bevan Braithwaite Building. The hall was open throughout the day for attendees to visit at their leisure without having to book an appointment. Technical experts were on-hand to provide demonstrations of our state-of-the-art systems and technical discussions, together with a chance to discuss how to best exploit their application for manufacturing.
Networking
Of course, there was ample opportunity to network with other attendees and speak with experts from TWI and The Welding Institute during the event, including organised opportunities where we introduced Industrial Members with similar interests.
Those attending the expo also received an event pack including an exhibitor guide, TWI brochure, and event gift.