Big names sign up for Drives & Controls Show

Almost 80% of the initial floorspace for the forthcoming Drives & Controls Show has been booked within three months of it going on sale. Companies which have signed up to exhibit include Control Techniques, Siemens Automation & Drives (in collaboration with HMK), Phoenix Contact, Balluff, Rossi Gearmotors, Vacon Drives, SEW Eurodrive, AEG Electric Motors, Centa Transmissions, Oriental Motor, ILME, LEM, Gudel, KTR and Rittal.

First-time exhibitors include Jokab Safety and the Danish integrated motor specialist, JVL. There will also be a delegation of exhibitors coming from China, to form a special Chinese pavilion.

Drives & Controls 2006 takes place at the Birmingham NEC from 16-18 May, alongside other major engineering events including MACH, Subcon, Electrex, and the new compressed air show, AirTech.

Plans for the associated conferences and seminars are also taking shape. For example, more than 34 hours of presentations have already been lined up for the NEEDS 2006 conference, which will cover key aspects of legislation affecting the automation, electrical and related industries. The conference will provide expert advice on legislation including the ATEX, EMC, WEEE, Low Voltage and RoHs Directives.

Separate conferences will cover the hot topics of industrial networking and functional safety.