Goodfellow continues to move the needle when it comes to the supply of advanced materials and metals
A growing emphasis on additive manufacturing, sustainable materials and cross-sector innovation are set to be some of the main discussion points when the Advanced Engineering Show opens its doors at the end of October (29th-30th)
That’s the prediction of Dr Aphrodite Tomou, who heads up the technical department at Goodfellow, a global supplier of more than 170,000 advanced metals and materials and a specialist in certified reference materials (CRM) and expanded analytical services.
Over the last 12 months, her team of material specialists have noticed a definite increase in the use of 3D printing moving beyond prototyping into full scale-production, especially in aerospace, automotive and the medical sectors. They have also seen a rise in demand from designers for green materials like biopolymers, high-entropy alloys, shape memory alloys, reference materials and functional coatings, with buyers now prioritising traceability, sustainability and performance at scale.
“With 9000 delegates set to descend on the Advanced Engineering Show at the NEC in Birmingham, there really is no better place to get under the skin of new applications and, importantly, the materials that will be at the heart of the next innovations,” explains Dr Tomou, who was named as an Exemplar in The Manufacturer’s Top 100 competition last year. “Sectors – including fusion, aerospace, medical and battery tech – are all adopting new materials and, importantly for the domestic marketplace, there appears to be a genuine shift towards reshoring and just-in-time delivery. This is being driven by significant supply chain concerns.”
She adds: “Many of the technologies that will define the next 20 years, like quantum computing, hypersonic travel, and clean energy breakthroughs, will depend on materials that didn’t even exist a decade ago…that’s really exciting. What was once science fiction – materials that self-heal, adapt to environmental conditions, or conduct electricity better than copper – are now entering real-world applications. And these materials are no longer hidden enablers; they are strategic assets shaping global competitiveness and I’m sure we’ll be talking about them during the two-day show.”
2025 has been an exciting year for Goodfellow, with the acquisition of Suisse TP and Bureau of Analysed Samples increasing its certified reference materials and analysing capabilities. These deals build on the Huntingdon firm’s 170,000-strong product range, which includes metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, compounds and composites.
Backed by Battery Ventures, the company has built a strong reputation as a trusted supplier to firms involved in R&D, advanced engineering, space and the scientific sector, with subsidiaries across Europe, North America and China helping it extend its global reach. The material specialist also provides a range of post processing facilities, including rolling, electroplating, sputtering, heat treatment, disk punching/turning and guillotining/sawing.
In addition to exhibiting at Stand R195 at the Advanced Engineering show, Goodfellow will also be one of the main sponsors of the AM2 Forum and will be live recording its latest “Innovation Discussed” podcast direct from Birmingham.
For more information visit www.goodfellow.com
