Offsite Expo returns to Coventry Building Society Arena

A two-storey 200 square metre structure will be built inside Coventry Building Society Arena as part of a leading national construction exhibition.

Offsite Expo is the leading exhibition for offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction (MMC), and will take place on Tuesday, September 19 and Wednesday, September 20.

The event expects to attract more than 4,000 people over the two days, with 150 innovative exhibitors showcasing how they are driving change in the construction sector.

Offsite Connect Buyers and Specifiers Forum runs as part of the exhibition and gives access for exhibitors to speak to buyers and specifiers in the industry.

For this year, Offside Connect has a new home with plans to build a two-storey, light steel frame structure in the exhibition halls at Coventry Building Society Arena.

The showpiece feature build will take up 200 square metres of space, be built using the technology showcased at the exhibition and provide a private meeting space for exhibitors and decision makers.

It will be one of six feature builds at the show, ranging a two-storey house built with a hybrid MMC system to a two-bedroom apartment which will see three modules craned in and attached.

Offsite Expo focuses on offsite manufacturing, which is the process of removing the building process from the construction site. The show will showcase the emerging and future technologies in offsite technology while also providing practical insight for construction professionals.

Visitors will have access to more than 40 hours of free CPD accredited masterclasses which are presented from pioneers in the industry, sharing knowledge and best practice from working on ground-breaking offsite projects around the world.

Key speakers from government include Edward Jezeph, Senior Manager at Homes England, and Jake Boomhauer, MMC Policy Lead at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

It will feature two seminar theatres, with one focusing on technology masterclasses such as structural timber, fire protection, facades and precast concrete, with the second theatre looking at topics such as women in construction, designing for offsite, supply chain, sustainability and more.

The exhibition comes as the offsite construction industry faces significant challenges, including controlling costs and planning challenges, which have led to key manufacturers in the UK, Europe and US collapsing under financial pressures.

Julie Williams, Director for Offsite Expo, said: “While there have been some challenges for big providers in the offsite construction sector in recent months, the overall picture is that the sector is thriving and a wide range of new technologies are being introduced to enhance its use.

“Offsite technology is being embraced across the construction industry, as it speeds up the process, can be of higher quality and as technologies improve will be very cost effective.

“We’re expecting thousands of visitors at this year’s show and we’re looking forward to hosting our biggest ever feature build – which will truly showcase what offsite construction is able to achieve. “

Offsite Expo will also host the Offsite Construction Awards, which have been running since 2015 and feature 23 categories to celebrate excellence in the construction industry. The awards attracted 200 entries last year and are free to attend.

Jenni Ford, Sales and Marketing Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, added: “We have an incredibly versatile space at the venue and Offsite Expo utilises that space to its full potential.

“The showcase feature build for Offsite Connect will be unlike anything we have ever seen at the venue and we are very excited to see it in place.” The event, masterclasses and awards are free-to-attend. To register for Offsite Expo visit www.offsite-expo.co.uk/book