14 - 17 March 2028 | Jaarbeurs, Utrecht
From smart manufacturing technology and digitalisation to leadership, innovation and talent development at ESEF Maakindustrie and TechniShow 2026, it all came together.
These fairs are more than just an exhibition floor. It is the meeting place where professionals come together to share knowledge, gain new insights and discover concrete solutions for today's and tomorrow's challenges.
The programme offers inspiring keynotes, topical panel discussions and in-depth knowledge sessions around themes of green manufacturing and innovation. With special programme elements such as Women in Manufacturing and Young Talent, there is plenty of attention for inclusiveness and the next generation of professionals.
Check out the full content programme of ESEF Manufacturing 2026 below.
Would you like to participate in a specific programme component?
Then first register free of charge as a visitor. After your registration, you will receive access to the online platform, where you can easily register for the session(s) of your choice.
This way, you are guaranteed a place at the programme part you don't want to miss.
During the TechniShow, the Women in the Making programme will take centre stage on Thursday morning 12 March. A specially curated morning for all women in the manufacturing industry, aiming to inspire, connect and make visible. Women who have been working in the sector for years, women who have made a career, women who are curious about technology, students and professionals considering a transition: everyone is welcome. The morning offers space for meeting, recognition and inspiration. By sharing personal stories and experiences, we work towards one common feeling: I belong here.
Programme
09.00 - 09.30 | Empower Breakfast Welcome
The morning starts with a warm welcome and breakfast. In an informal setting, there will be ample opportunity to meet other women in the industry.
09.30 - 10.00 | Keynote: Marjorie Woudenberg - Initiator of Women in Engineering
A keynote on personal leadership & team dynamics in technical work environments
10.00 - 10.30 | Panel discussion
In this panel discussion, women in the field share their insights and experiences. Panelists:
Jessica van Schijndel - Director-owner at Van Schijndel Metaal
Merel Overdevest - Chief Executive Officer at Macroscoop
Mindel van Gijzel - Channel Partner Specialist at ABB Robotics
Anoek Schellings - Managing Director at Cadmes
10.30 - 11.00 | Afterglow and networking opportunity
After the panel discussion, there will be room to chat and get to know each other better.
Sustainable procurement is often seen as an obligation or extra investment. But what if, on the contrary, it is a strategic advantage? In this session, MTL Materials will show how local procurement, reduced transport kilometres and smart material choices not only reduce CO₂, but also deliver direct cost savings and higher margins. You will also discover how our B2B marketplace brings together supply and demand in the region, utilises residual stocks and reduces waste - with measurable financial and sustainable results.
Discover how sustainability, digitalisation and profitability go hand in hand - and how you can apply this directly within your own organisation.
The Defence Morning starts with a keynote by Mart de Kruif, former Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army. He interprets current geopolitical developments and translates themes such as leadership, strategic autonomy and international cooperation into concrete insights for industry. What do shifting balances of power, technological dependence and security issues mean for the Netherlands - and for your company?
Mart de Kruif is lieutenant general bd in the Royal Netherlands Army. As a major general, he commanded the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in southern Afghanistan. He regularly appears in the media and, together with Peter van Uhm, produces the very popular Podcast Field Lords. A former Commander of the Armed Forces and internationally distinguished military leader, he is known for his sharp analyses of geopolitical developments.
During this keynote, he translates themes such as leadership under pressure, international cooperation, strategic decision-making and agility into concrete lessons for the manufacturing industry. At a time when security, internaional chains and technology are increasingly intertwined, this session offers valuable strategic insights.
In this presentation, I will show how VEIDEC combines innovation, safety and sustainability to create a healthier and more efficient workplace. I discuss how our eco-friendly and high-performance products help companies work more safely, reduce harmful substances and more easily comply with modern ESG and CSRD guidelines.
A key component is our Chemical Shift: a process where we replace hazardous chemicals with safe, sustainable VEIDEC alternatives. I explain how we identify existing products, suggest suitable substitutes, develop clear work instructions and train employees on site for smooth implementation.
With this approach, VEIDEC helps organisations to be future-proof, responsible and efficient - without compromising on quality or performance.
Explanation of the MCB Group's various sustainability initiatives.
Smart machines are important, but real innovation starts on the shop floor. In this session, we show how TWI Job Instruction helps manufacturing companies get new people, processes and technology up and running faster and flawlessly. Less variation, shorter familiarisation time and immediate results in quality and productivity.
A sharp panel discussion with representatives from ODIN, NIDV and the manufacturing industry. Central questions will be: Where are the biggest vulnerabilities as well as opportunities? What does "scaling up" mean in defence terms? What does joining the defence chain require from manufacturing companies? And where to turn if you want to contribute?
Why you should not miss this
Defence is investing, demand for high-quality manufacturing capacity is growing. But participating requires insight, preparation and strategic choices. This morning offers direction, realism and concrete starting points. Want to know what role your company can play in a changing security landscape? Then Friday 13 March at the TechniShow is a moment not to be missed.
Led by moderator Philippe Reinders Folmer, Managing Director Benelux at Renishaw Benelux B.V. and Board member FPT, the panel consists of:
Major Rick Zagers, deputy head at ODIN
Donald Trouerbach, Business Development Manager at NIDV
Geert Bloemhof, Director at SMI Group
In this presentation, Forze Hydrogen Racing will give an insight into how collaborations with industry partners play a crucial role in the development of our hydrogen racing cars. We will discuss how technical and strategic partnerships contribute to innovation, how mutual value is created and how students and companies are working together on the future of sustainable mobility.
Forze Hydrogen Racing is a complex technical project with dozens of team members and multiple parallel development processes. In this presentation, we will show how we apply project management within a multidisciplinary student team, how we structure design and testing processes and work towards concrete deadlines such as vehicle testing and events.
This presentation looks at the operation and integration of the hydrogen fuel cell in our race car. We explain how hydrogen is converted into electrical energy, the technical challenges involved and why this technology is a promising solution for emission-free mobility, both on and off the track.
In this presentation, University Racing Eindhoven will show how we help students develop by designing and producing an electric and autonomous race car every year. It will also explain how the design and production process takes place during a year.
During this short presentation, we outline the semicon knowledge ecosystem and focus on initiatives that increase productivity in the short term. Leveraging standards jointly rather than developing and maintaining knowledge individually creates room for acceleration. We show how employees in the semicon sector can easily grow in knowledge and skills. The main contribution comes from the companies themselves - and that role is surprisingly simple and easy to implement.
Programme opening TechniShow
Welcome by Ires Veerman (industry manager FPT/NEVAT)
Introduction Manifesto by Eddo Cammeraat (chairman FPT)
Panel discussion: The state of the Dutch manufacturing industry and the future of the supply chain led by Bart Kroesbergen (entrepreneur and Manifesto ambassador) with panellists:
Signature of Manifesto
Keynote Martijn Reissenweber (Huisman Equipment): How do we keep the Dutch supply chain strong, innovative, and competitive.
Opening act
In modern manufacturing, one overlooked component often determines whether a complex system succeeds or fails. This session explores how Xometry bridges the agility gap by securing resilient supply chains through on-demand capacity, certified quality, and total project ownership.
XCarb® steel from ArcelorMittal is physical low emission steels produced in EU that combine low CO2 footprint and high recycled content. It is chosen today by future-proof companies as reliable and easy solution to decarbonize supply chains for products made of steel.
In this session, you will discover how to close the gap between IT and OT by bringing the power of the cloud to the factory floor with Azure Local. We explore the strategic benefits of a hybrid architecture, keeping critical processes running locally for maximum continuity and minimal latency, while benefiting from the scalability and innovation power of Microsoft Azure.
In this presentation, University Racing Eindhoven will show how we help students develop by designing and producing an electric and autonomous race car every year. It will also explain how the design and production process takes place during a year.
In this presentation, University Racing Eindhoven will show how we help students develop by designing and producing an electric and autonomous race car every year. It will also explain how the design and production process takes place during a year.
How to realise the factory of the future in an environment with high product variation and customised customer orders? Seco Tools in Lottum is taking a big step towards autonomous production with the Autonomous Production programme. By integrating IT systems with AMRs, cobots and machines, the production process is planned, controlled and executed largely automatically.
The key: seamless linking of information and material flows. From PLM, ERP and MES to the physical flow of goods, everything is synchronously connected. During this session, Mark Derks (Nexpact) and Edwin Coppes (Seco Tools) share how governance, stakeholder alignment and data quality were decisive in achieving this internal chain integration.
Key insights for SMEs:
Start small: digitise critical processes first and link existing systems.
Ensure reliable data and involvement of operators and management.
Autonomy does not have to be complete: step-by-step integration delivers immediate results in efficiency and error reduction.
Engineering companies are usually excellent at explaining what their technology can do. Performance, innovations, tolerances, efficiency - the story rings true technically.
But what do customers get out of it? After all, they are not buying technology. They are buying risk reduction, continuity, time savings or competitive advantage. In short: solutions!
In this session, we share insights for niche leaders who want to strengthen their marketing content, without excessive budgets.
We address:
How to translate complex propositions into clear, customer-focused positioning
Why niche companies actually benefit from focus rather than lots of reach
How to organise marketing smartly with limited resources
With examples from the NL high-tech industry
Participants will get practical tools to:
critically analyse their current message
sharpen their positioning
make marketing and sales work better together in terms of content
prioritise channels and resources
So no general marketing theory, but truly applicable insights for executives and marketing managers in manufacturing, high-tech and other specialised B2B markets.
Session objective: to make participants look differently at their own story and give them concrete starting points to improve that story.
Would you like to be updated in 20 minutes on the new European Chips Act? And would you like to be informed about how the European demand for semiconductors is developing in the coming years and what the business case for semiconductors looks like in Europe? The Ministry of Economic Affairs and FME are conducting a study together with German partners on the business case for semiconductors in Europe in relation to future demand in end markets, from automotive to data centres and from energy to MedTech. Crucial for resilient and competitive semicon value chains in Europe. In this session, Niels Back of FME and Woutertje Mes of the Ministry of Economic Affairs are happy to share preliminary results. You will also be updated on developments and Dutch commitment towards the Chips Act 2.0, for which this study is important input.
After the "Wennink report" and various sector reports, the conclusion is clear: the Dutch manufacturing industry is crucial to our economy, but it is under pressure.
To remain internationally competitive, structural increases in productivity and value creation are needed. Therefore, FME, Koninklijke Metaalunie, TNO, Nevat, FPT, SCSN and manufacturing companies have signed a Manifesto. The focus:
One digital foundation
Open standards
Smarter chains through data exchange
Joint innovation for international strength
But what does this mean concretely for you as an entrepreneur? We discuss that with:
David Kemps (ABN-AMRO)
Paul d'Hond (Koninklijke Metaalunie / Teqnow)
Jelle Koning (Produmize)
Robert Wilterdink (TNO)
Jop Stevens (Van Oers)
Led by Bart Kroesbergen (JOOP), they will discuss opportunities, challenges and practical solutions for individual manufacturing companies - using the ProcessFundament™.
Nowhere in the manufacturing industry is the production and logistical complexity greater than in sheet metal working. Orders with high variation, tight delivery times, material flows, planning, post-processing - everything intertwines. One disruption directly affects the entire process.
During this inspiring theatre session, Bart Verhoeven, with more than 20 years of experience in automation within sheet metal working, will take you through the real challenges on the shop floor. Not theory, but practice. No hype, but feasible steps forward.
Where there is a lot of talk about AI today, Bart asks a tantalising question:
Is AI really the first priority for manufacturing companies?
Indeed, for many organisations, the real gain lies in something else:
getting their digital basics in order.
In this session you will discover:
- Why sheet metal working is more complex than many companies realise
- How digitisation creates peace, overview and predictability
- What makes the difference between automation and really smart automation
- Why digitisation can make the difference for both large and small companies
Expect recognisable examples, sharp insights and concrete tools to get started right away.
For anyone in the manufacturing industry who wants to work smarter, not harder.
Defence places high demands on manufacturing: reliability, scalability, flexibility and speed. In this session, TNO shows how it uses technologies to help companies meet these demands and position themselves as relevant partners within the defence chain. Using concrete examples of products and services TNO has developed together with companies, it will explain how digital tools, data, automation and AI are deployed in defence-related applications. The focus is on what this requires from the production environment and what choices companies make to make this achievable. It also shows solutions that companies can immediately deploy to speed up internal processes, reduce lead times and increase efficiency. Solutions that are not only relevant for defence, but also contribute to more robust and future-proof production.
This session is intended for companies that:
are active in or want to join defence and high-tech chains want to know how TNO works with companies on industrial solutions are looking for directly applicable improvements in their production process and scaling up their production
Chips are indispensable for energy transition, digitalisation, sustainable mobility and healthcare. The Netherlands has world-class expertise, but the landscape is complex and fragmented. In the session, Anna and Wouter will give participants an overview of the landscape and take them through how the ChipNL Innovation and Talent Programme is helping to strengthen the position of the Netherlands and Europe in the global chiptech industry.
For about 25 years, universities of applied sciences have been given a research task in addition to their teaching task to enable or accelerate innovation in cooperation with industry. As a result, various research groups at the colleges have built up relevant knowledge and expertise that can be of great use to companies.
For a number of years now, the MBO has also joined in and here, too, more and more relevant knowledge will become available.
This contribution will use some practical examples to outline how cooperation can take place and what opportunities there are for companies to make use of the knowledge and expertise available
During this session, we will show you what is involved in making a CO2 product passport. Not just from theory, but from a practical example. We not only show outcomes, but take you through the steps taken, the calculations and the commercial value this can bring you.
Many companies in the Manufacturing Industry work with separate business systems such as ERP, WMS, MES and other (cloud) software. In addition, they often deal with a mix of machines, production lines and other assets.
But processes almost always cross multiple systems and departments. This creates Excel lists, e-mail, double entries and manual transfers between departments and systems. This creates errors, waiting time and unclear responsibility. And often your own data is not readily available because it is stuck in systems, machines or at the supplier.
In this session, we will show how AIVHY's BOS solves this. AIVHY's BOS connects existing systems, machines, people and products into one digital ecosystem, without replacing systems. The ecosystem is highly flexible and fits your way of working.
So you get one real-time flow from order to delivery, through production, quality, warehouse and the whole value chain.
Trends and developments
Closing the loop, together
Industrial collection of metal waste 2.0
The Innovation Award 2026 puts the spotlight on concrete innovations from the manufacturing industry. The entries will be judged by an expert jury consisting of experts from industry, technology and innovation.The jury consists of:
The award ceremony will take place during TechniShow 2026, led by moderator Edwin Dekker - connector in the manufacturing industry, Industry Expert at NEVAT.
High in the mountains of Wyoming, the Carmelite Monks are building a medieval-style monastery that will stand for a thousand years. With limited funds and no formal training, they turned to modern machining and found a partner in Mastercam.
Discover how advanced CAM technology and expert support from DMGMORI helped the monks overcome design limitations, carve intricate Gothic details, and bring their vision to life with precision and creativity.
Discover how combining the latest 3M™ Cubitron™ 3 abrasives with 3M™ Speedglas™ products can transform your grinding and welding process
Kobout and Kangaroo will show how an open supply chain down to the machine builder's shop floor is possible, without vendor lock in. This provides greater flexibility and significant cost savings.
CADCAMSTORE is a dealer of ENCY CAM software in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the UK.
ENCY may not sound familiar to you, but they have been developing CAM software to control CNC machines and industrial robots for more than 25 years.
ENCY has a dealer network with more than 150 dealers spanning all continents.
We differentiate ourselves from other CAM software brands by developing all applications for both CNC and robot on one platform.
So if you have multiple types of CNC machines and industrial robots in your company, with ENCY you control them all from one working environment, no add ons from other packages and no conversions.
For CNC, ENCY offers modules from 2D to 5-axis simultaneous, with high-end strategies such as Adaptive, HPC, HSM, Swarf and Impeller.
With ENCY Robot, you can create Off-line programmes for all brands of industrial robots. Besides applications such as milling, 3D printing, cutting, welding, sanding, polishing and spraying, ENCY Robot also lets you create programmes to load CNC machines and do post-processing on CNC products.
If you want to know more about ENCY CAM software, visit us during the Technishow at our own stand A11.0.10. or at Factory of the Future, or go to our website www.cadcamstore.nl.
Most manufacturing companies have their operations tightly organised, but still manage their sales from Excel and gut feeling. Welisa shows how to turn ERP data into a grip on your pipeline, your dealers and your margins.
Insight into green steel production within the Salzgitter group.
Product impact data is no longer a 'nice to have', but a strategic necessity. Customers actively demand it and increasingly use it as a criterion in their purchasing decisions. At the same time, laws and regulations - the upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) - force organisations to make their impact structurally and verifiably transparent. Organisations that respond to this today create a clear lead in the market.
But how do you actually turn product impact data into business value?
In this session, we will show how a strong Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) basis is the foundation for reliable and scalable impact insights. From that basis, you can steer concrete improvements such as CO₂ reduction, identifying hotspots in the chain, deploying green steel and lowering plant emissions. We discuss how to not only collect data, but use it strategically for innovation, cost reduction and commercial growth.
Finally, we show why Ecochain is the right partner to make this happen at scale. With decades of experience, deep expertise and proven customer cases, we help organisations turn impact data into measurable business results - today and in the future.