Visitors flocked to Excel in London last week as three key shows came together to form the UK’s ‘built environment super event‘. UK Construction Week (UKCW) London ran alongside both Futurebuild and the Stone & Surfaces Show across three-packed days full of conversations, innovation and networking.
Sponsored by Sage, Wyre, HotelPlanner, Zurich Resilience Solutions, Build Warranty, SolarEdge and HRT Spedition, UKCW London featured over 300 leading brands; over 25 trade bodies and associations, including the Federation of Master Builders, CIBSE, and the National Association Of Air Duct-Cleaners UK.
Event highlights included:
- Three shows in one – Running alongside Futurebuild and the Stone & Surfaces Show for the first time, UKCW London gave visitors access to an even broader range of exhibitors, CPD-accredited content, networking opportunities and cross-sector insight all under one roof. The event’s co-location nature brought together professionals from across the construction, sustainability, materials and surface design sectors, creating added value for attendees.
- Visitors heard from key construction business leaders and those driving the industry forward, including Rt Hon Sir James Cleverly MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government; Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development; Mark Reynolds – Group Executive Chairman, Mace Group; Renee Preston – CEO, Gallaway Construction; George Clarke – Architect and TV presenter.
- Making its debut at UKCW London, the Live Demonstration Zone showcased a programme of hands-on sessions designed to be practical, varied, and genuinely engaging. Visitors experienced everything from live dust-free drilling with Hilti’s Nuron platform, to heavy-duty cordless demonstrations moving large concrete blocks, proving real on-site capability.
- Now in its ninth year, the Role Models Awards recognised exceptional talent and commitment across the sector, with shortlists revealed in three new categories: rising star, pioneer and icon. The winners will be announced at UKCW Birmingham in September.
- The Stone & Surfaces Show, the UK’s only trade exhibition with a section devoted entirely to natural stone, featured its very own Surfaces Cinema showcasing architectural photography and documentary film exploring the cultural and environmental narratives of stone. It included the UK Premiere of Milestone, a feature length documentary from renowned Portuguese director Frederico Miranda.
Sam Patel, Divisional Director, UK Construction Week London, comments: “Bringing UKCW London, Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show together under one roof created an unrivalled opportunity for the industry to connect across the entire built environment. The response from visitors and exhibitors has exceeded our expectations and reflects the appetite for a more joined-up event experience that encourages collaboration, innovations and new business opportunities.”
Exhibitors at UKCW London were full of praise for the event:
Annie Spooner, Trade Manager, Hilti, says: “This is our first time at UKCW – we’ve had a lot of traction and a good number of interest and leads from C-suite professionals in particular. Our demonstrations on the Live Demo Stage have been really popular, especially for showcasing our heavy duty tools. It’s also been a great opportunity to invite our existing customers along to the show to learn about our new products.”
Tim Reeve, Director, NZC Solutions, comments: “It’s been buzzing! There’s been good footfall throughout the show and the quality of conversations we’ve had shows that the right people are here. We’ve been really impressed with the turnout and have already booked for the next show.”
Duncan la Barre, Head of Marketing, NavLive, says: “It’s our first time here at UKCW and it has far exceeded our expectations. Our stand has been consistently busy with visitors queuing to speak to us about our product. We’ve made a number of sales so the return on investment has been excellent. We couldn’t be happier with how it’s gone so we’ve already booked our place for next year.”
Neus Martin, Events and Marketing Manager, Houzz Pro, says: “We’ve been very busy all day and had some great conversations – good quality too. Merging the three shows has had a really good effect.”
Charlie Brown, Technical Manager, Why Media, notes: “It’s our first time at UKCW; we’ve done lots of business and also had lots of fun! We’re definitely coming back – 100%!”
UKCW Birmingham will return to the NEC from 29 September to 1 October 2026 – be sure not to miss this event!
