The Manufacturer MX Awards are back for 2026. And this year, we’re raising the bar. With brand new categories designed to highlight the key individuals within the sector, it broadens the opportunity to showcase the people (as well as the teams) pushing the industry forward.
As the only peer-reviewed awards of their kind for UK manufacturing, TMMX Awards, organised by The Manufacturer in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), are the industry’s most respected benchmark of excellence and the gold standard for professional recognition.
Speaking on the importance of the awards, Grace Gilling, Managing Director at The Manufacturer said: “The Manufacturer MX Awards are a personal highlight of everything we do at The Manufacturer. They celebrate excellence across industry, bringing household name brands together with the unsung heroes in manufacturing. It’s powerful to see leaders and challengers alike, all pushing boundaries, all proud of their impact, and all thriving through healthy competition.
“Our purpose is to inspire businesses, uncover solutions, and create connections and TMMX Awards represent the very peak of that purpose.”
New categories for new people
The Manufacturer Top 100 awards joins forces with The Manufacturer MX Awards – bringing together individual and organisational recognition within one expanded and more powerful platform.
This marks the creation of a truly comprehensive celebration of excellence in UK manufacturing. By uniting the legacy of the Top 100 with the depth and rigour of the MX Awards, we are creating a flagship programme that recognises not only world-class businesses, but also the exceptional people driving transformation within them.
We’re introducing individual award categories for 2026 – celebrating the talent, leadership and innovation shaping the future of UK manufacturing. Whether you’re entering yourself or nominating a colleague, this is your chance to recognise people who deserve a spotlight.
The new People Awards include:
- Commercial Team of the Year: A team that leverages strategic planning and marketing insights to drive revenue growth, innovation and enhanced customer engagement.
- ED&I Champion: An individual driving positive cultural change by embedding ED&I principles into everyday practice and inspiring a more inclusive workplace.
- Inspiring Leader: A visionary leader who has generated wealth and stable employment while modernising a UK-based manufacturer through people, processes and technology.
- Sustainability Champion: An influential leader driving the journey toward net zero by embedding sustainable practices and inspiring positive environmental change throughout their organisation.
- Technology Champion: A digital pioneer who has successfully transitioned their organisation from analogue to digital, significantly boosting productivity while reducing costs.
And our Business Awards return too…
To ensure the celebration of excellence is more inclusive than ever, entry to the awards is completely free of charge. We are dedicated to making them accessible to all, providing every manufacturer the opportunity to have their achievements recognised.
Benefits of entering
Participating in our awards is more than a competition; it is a strategic investment in your business’s growth and industry standing. Each finalist gains a unique platform for professional development, starting with valuable feedback from our expert judges. Commenting on the feedback received, Carl Milbourne, Head of SASB Operations, Sertec: “We actually had a lot of homework to do afterwards – even to this day. The detailed feedback was valuable, it felt like we got our next year’s business plan for free.”
Finalists will also receive complimentary VIP access to The Manufacturer’s premier events, including the Manufacturing Digitalisation Summit, the Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit, and the Smart Manufacturing Week exhibition.
Beyond the events, finalists benefit from significant brand exposure. Your success stories will be shared across The Manufacturer magazine and our digital platforms, reaching a targeted audience of industry decision-makers.
For those who reach the top spot, the rewards extend even further:
- The Best of British Showcase: An exclusive feature at Smart Manufacturing Week, providing direct exposure to over 15,000 visitors at the UK’s largest advanced manufacturing festival.
- Thought leadership: Winners are invited to speak at our flagship summits through keynote slots and expert panels. This provides a premier platform to cement your industry credibility and transform your success story into a recognised benchmark for excellence. As well as this, winners are invited to share thoughts and exclusive insights through editorial pieces on The Manufacturer website and magazine.
- Industry influence: Opportunities to join the IMechE Manufacturing Industries Division (MID) advisory board to help shape the future of the sector. As part of this professional community, you will influence industry policy, stay ahead of emerging technologies, and connect with a global network of peers to drive professional growth and industrial impact.
The journey culminates in a gala dinner, where you can celebrate alongside 400 industry peers. Whether you are looking to recruit top-tier talent or expand your professional network, the process ensures lasting impact. Even without a trophy, the insights and connections gained provide a clear competitive advantage in today’s manufacturing landscape.
Looking back at 2025
Over the past year, UK manufacturing has transitioned from navigating crisis to embedding long-term resilience. While economic and geopolitical pressures and rising costs remain, the sector has responded by accelerating the adoption of independent supply chains and digital ecosystems.
The promise of Industry 4.0 has become a daily reality; AI, automation, and digital twins are now essential drivers of supply chain resilience and the cornerstone of the industry’s net-zero transition.
This surge is matched by a renewed focus on the workforce, with strategic investments in upskilling ensuring human talent evolves alongside robotics to unlock new global markets.
Despite these challenges, the sector continues to demonstrate remarkable agility, leveraging home-grown innovation to maintain a competitive edge.
The Manufacturer is proud to celebrate the companies and individuals who are not just facing these challenges head-on but are actively redefining the future of UK industry.
From SMEs to global manufacturing superpowers, the TMMX awards are for every company across industry. Previous finalists include, Amtico, Bentley Motors, BMW, British Sugar, Britvic, Ford Motor Company, JLR, Lush, Warburtons, Brompton Bicycle and many, many more. You could be part of this line up too.
Read what last year’s winners had to say…
I Holland won the International Trade Award at the 2025 ceremony, Rob Blanchard, Research, Development & Quality Systems Executive Manager said: “Winning the TMMX award was a fantastic achievement for our entire 174-person ‘family’ at I Holland. It provided vital recognition that we are doing the right things for our staff and the business. The experience was incredibly valuable because the expert judges offered a fresh set of eyes and constructive feedback that helps us continue to evolve.”
Bucher Municipal won the Product Innovation & Design Award at the 2025 ceremony, Gareth Knopp, Innovation & Simulation Manager – TMS said: “Winning this award was a great experience because the rigorous judging process ensures the award genuinely means something. It recognised our culture of innovation and the collective enthusiasm of our team. It was a proud moment for us; hearing our name called out among such strong nominees was incredibly rewarding and a true testament to the detail and effort we put into everything we do.”
And listen to what our overall Manufacturer of the Year 2025, Siemens, had to say on the night…
What to do next?
Download the entry information pack to find out more about the categories and entry process, here.
While you are there, create an online account to view the categories criteria and to start planning for your entries.
Add the key dates to your diary:
- 09 July: Entry deadline
- 17 August: Finalists announced
- September: Second round judging in-person and virtually
- 11 November: Gala dinner and TMMX Award ceremony
Part of something bigger
The TMMX Awards take place on the final evening of TM Live, a two-day event exclusively for top-tier industry visionaries and senior executives. The Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit is now heading into its 18th year and continues to build on nearly two decades of prestige, cementing its legacy as the definitive platform for shaping the future of British manufacturing.
Further reading about winners, finalists and TM Live here.
Involve your team and begin crafting your entries, today!
Sponsorship opportunities
Also invaluable to the TMMX Awards are its sponsors, last years Operational Excellence category sponsor, Columbus shared their thoughts on the awards: “What a fantastic night at The Manufacturer MX Awards in Liverpool!
“We were proud to sponsor the Operational Excellence Award, and even prouder to celebrate the outstanding achievements of organisations and individuals across the UK manufacturing sector.
“A huge thank-you to The Manufacturer for hosting such a well-organised, uplifting, and inspiring event. The energy in the room, the innovation on display, and the sheer talent across the industry were truly remarkable.
“Congratulations to all the finalists and winners, your dedication and hard work are shaping the future of manufacturing.”
As The Manufacturer MX Awards return for 2026 with an expanded programme, with it comes a completely refreshed set of partnership opportunities.
Whether you’re looking for flagship visibility or a more focused way to show your support for the industry, we’ve redesigned our sponsorship offerings to make it easier than ever to get involved and align your brand with the topics most relevant to your customers.
Request more information about partnership opportunities here: The Manufacturer MX Awards 2026 – Sponsors
For any specific questions or queries regarding the awards, reach out to the team via [email protected].
For more articles like this, visit our Leadership channel.
